


Here comes the Boogieman

by Pinkquartz75



Category: Ghostbusters (Movies 1984-1989), Ghostbusters - All Media Types, The Real Ghostbusters
Genre: Based on the boogieman episode, Egon is at least 10 or 11 here, Egons' dad is a workaholic, Gen, Mixes elements from the films and RGB, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Prequel, Prequel?, Rating May Change, Sort Of, but things get worse for little Egon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2019-07-23 07:09:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 52,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16154123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pinkquartz75/pseuds/Pinkquartz75
Summary: Long before he became a ghostbuster, before he even knew of the paranormal; Egon Spengler was like anyone else. But a creature made known by old stories created to scare and terrify children begins to hunt him through the closet in his room. A creature that intends to put his life in danger.





	1. Molds, Spores and Fungus

The sky was covered by grey clouds over the quiet suburbs of Cleveland Ohio. Across from a line of houses on the other side of the road, there was a small park with a decent number of trees and other plant life.

A young boy was walking through the miniature forest with a large book in his hands with the words 'your friend the fungus' written in bold on the front. The boy had a pair of black framed glasses to help him see with his coffee coloured eyes. His hair was a dark shade of brunette He was wearing a yellow rain coat over his skinny and lanky frame with a decent sized satchel hanging by his side, a grey shirt underneath, a pair of beige knee length shorts and black gumboots.

The boy stopped and looked down at the base of a tree he was passing. He raised a brow as he spotted an orange coloured substance growing against the bark. The boy opened his book and started going through the pages; looking for anything that was described as being orange. The closest thing he could find was orange jelly fungus. The boy made a rather intrigued sound as he looked at the substance. He opened his satchel; putting the book away and grabbing a pair of tongs and a small mason jar. He got down on his knees and proceeded to gently remove the fungus from the bark. He was in full focus as he did his hobby.

"Meow"

Until he heard a noise from behind him. The boy quickly turned around and saw a dark grey cat. It was at least two meters away from him, but it was staring right him as its tail slowly waved behind it.

"Do you want something or are you just going to watch?" The boy questioned.

The cat just responded by blinking and letting out a light purring sound. The boy just rolled his eyes.

"As if you could even reply." He whispered as he went back to what he was doing with the fungus.

The boy kept his focus as he carefully removed the fungus with a final and gentle pull; placing it in the jar and sealing it was the lid. He observed the specimen with a satisfied look on his face.

"Very interesting." He thought as he continued to observe the contents of the jar.

But just as he was about to put the jar in his satchel, a small round object flew right above his head; hitting the tree but bouncing right onto his forehead and knocking his glasses off. The boy let out a pained yelp as he fell onto his back. He lightly groaned as he felt a throbbing sensation where the object hit him.

"Uh oh."

The boy heard a voice coming from where the object came from. He opened his eyes, but all he could see without his glasses where blurry shapes. He rolled over and looked for his glasses; finding them just in front of him. He put them on to see what hit him. It was a baseball.

"Sorry about that."

He heard a voice above him that spoke in a nervous and embarrassed tone. He looked up to see another boy standing there with an expression of worry and embarrassment. He looked around the same age as the boy collecting fungus, but he looked a bit shorter in height. He was wearing a red baseball covering a short but messy haircut, a light blue t-shirt with dark blue denim shorts and white sneakers with noticeable dirt stains. The fungus collecting boy noticed the catcher’s mitt on the other boys’ hand. But he said nothing and picked up his jar.

"I didn't hurt you or anything did I?" The other boy asked rather nervously.

The fungus collecting boy just looked up at the other child for a second before standing up and wiping the dirt off his knees.

"I'm fine." He finally said.

The other boy let out an exhale with a relived smile and took off his hat to wipe his forehead of any sweat; showing his messy light brown hair.

"Oh thank god. I was worried I might have broke your brain when you weren't talking." He said with a quiet laugh.

The fungus collecting boy was about to say something when he heard a meow. He looked down to see the cat walking very close to his feet and rubbing itself against his gumboots.

"Is this feline yours?" He asked as the cat looked up at him.

The other boy just scratched his head as he thought of how to answer the question.

"Well, she's not technically my cat." He spoke with an uncertain tone. "She's my neighbours' cat. But she usually comes over to my house and I give her a can of tuna."

He bent down as the cat came up to him and rubbed against his legs as she purred. He gentle stroked the cats' fur with a small smile.

"Although there are times where she brings me other people’s socks. But at least she doesn't bring me dead rats or anything." He said as he looked up at the boy with the glasses.

But the other boy began thinking as he looked at the fungus collecting boy.

"Have I seen you somewhere before?" He asked as he slightly tilted his head to the side.

"We may or may not go to the same school." The fungus collector said as he put the jar in his satchel.

The other boy then smiled when it came to him.

"I do know you. You're that kid who grew the big tomato for the science fair last month!" He remembered the prize winning project and the winner. "Uhhh, Ethan. No; Eddie. Wait no."

The boy with glasses just rolled his eyes the other way with a blank expression as the other boy kept guessing his name incorrectly.

"Egon."

The other boy went quiet for a second as he quickly remembered.

"Egon; that's right! Egon Spengler!" He recalled as he took off his catchers’ mitt and held out his hand. "I'm Danny. Danny Aykker."

Egon hesitated for a moment before reaching out and shaking Dannys' hand.

"I think I've seen you around the playground." He recalled as he shook the other boys hand.

"Well, you won't be seeing me or anyone at school for a while. Not while they're taking care of the rat problem." Danny spoke with a joking tone.

Egon nodded in agreement. He was quite disappointed that the school he was currently attending was being temporarily shut down due to an infestation of rats. Other kids would have jumped and cheered, but he enjoyed the process of learning and did not really have anything else to occupy himself or keep his mind stimulated for the next few weeks. He let go of Dannys' hand and adjusted his glasses before grabbing the baseball that could have gave him a concussion.

"I believe this is yours." Egon spoke in rather dry tone as he held up the ball.

"Oh yeah. Sorry about hitting your head. Hope I didn't hurt your brain." Danny apologised as he took the ball back.

"I doubt it. But my mother will be concerned when bruising begins to show."

Danny just shrugged as he turned the other way. But he quickly turned back to face Egon again.

"Hey, if you're really interested in mushrooms and stuff, you should check out the old well over there." He began to advise as he pointed in another direction. "It's a big hole in the ground with a mushroom ring around it. Just be careful not to fall in or anything."

Egon watched as the boy called the cat to follow him and walked away. Egon looked into the direction Danny was pointing into. With motivated interest, he decided to have a look. Only after a few seconds of walking through some trees, he found exactly what Danny was talking about. A hole in the ground. But said hole was covered by wooden boards; probably for safety reasons. But Egon managed to spot the ring of Agaricus arvensis; otherwise known as horse mushroom.

Egon quickly grabbed the tongs and another mason jar; eager to collect the common specimen. But as he just got it loose from the soil, he heard a faint thunderclap from above his head. As he looked up, he felt light sprinkling raindrops on his face and could see them on his glasses.

"I should go home before I get soaked." Egon thought as he finished pulling out the mushroom; placing it in the jar and sealing it up.

Egon quickly got up off the ground and put his things back in his satchel. Then he quickly ran in the direction of home as the rain got heavier by the minute. He made it to the road that separated the park and the houses across; one of them being where he lived with his parents. Egon made sure there were no cars coming and ran across as the rain began to pour.

Egon ran to the small house in the middle and ran undercover; taking a breather from all the running. He was not what would come to mind when people would talk about athletic children; giving that he never played any sports. But he could run a fair distance if motivated or under certain circumstances.

Egon looked through the windows to see if his mother was close by; hoping to avoid her seeing him all drenched from the pouring rain. He quietly opened the wooden door and took off his muddy boots and left them outside to avoid bringing in any mud; even though the carpet was a dark colour and would not be noticeable at first glance. Egon stepped through and silently shut the door; thinking he was in the clear. But a lump in the rug caught him by surprise and nearly tripped him over; making him let out a loud squeak.

"Is that you, Spookums?"

Egon went pale when he heard his mothers’ voice from the kitchen; knowing what was coming next. A woman poked her head through the doorway to the dining room. She looked at least somewhere in her mid or late thirties. She had a few features that were similar to her son, like hair colour; but there were notable differences. Her hair was tied in a bun with a couple of strands hanging over the sides of her face. She had a pair of round glasses with red framing that contrasted with her light blue eyes.

Egon made a rather nervous face as Mrs Spengler came into the living room with a tea towel coincidentally already in hand.

"Oh, Egon; did you get too far from the house again?" She asked as she approached. "I keep telling you not to wonder too far when it's going to rain. Your hair's all drenched."

"It's that bad, mother." Egon tried to stop her from what she was about to do with the towel. "It's just water-"

Egon was cut short when Mrs Spengler placed the towel over his head and began to dry his hair rather roughly.

"You keep saying that and last time you said it, you got the flu and missed a week of school." She recalled as she dried her sons hair.

Egon felt like his hair was being tugged and pulled against the towel; making him bite his lower lip in discomfort. When Mrs Spengler finished drying his hair, Egon suddenly found himself blind as his mother took his glasses off him and cleaned them with the apron she had on over her light blue dress.

"I need those to see." Egon stated rather bluntly.

Mrs Spengler just rolled her eyes the other way as she finished cleaning her sons’ eyewear and put them back on his face.

"Doesn't that feel better, Spookums?" She asked with a motherly smile.

Egon wanted to say something rather critical of the way his mother reacted to his appearance from exposure to the pouring rain; making his hair a complete mess compared to what it was before and taking his glasses without asking. But he knew she was only doing it out of love.

"Yes. Thank you, mom." Egon said as he loosened and removed his raincoat.

"Good to hear." Mrs Spengler replied as she took the dripping coat. "Did you find any mushrooms while you were out, sweetie?"

"I managed to find something that I suspect is a form of jelly fungus." Egon explained as he fixed up his hair with his fingers. "But I'll have to look through my books to determine what it is exactly."

Mrs Spengler smiled warmly at her son as he talked about his hobby. She was glad he was doing something he found enjoyable. He was a bit disappointed when he was told he was unable to attend school for the next few weeks. Not as disappointed as Mr Spengler was when he heard the news.

"Your father's working late tonight, so it'll just be the two of us having roast chicken and vegetables." Mrs Spengler brought up Egons' father. "Maybe we can invite Mr and Mrs Polanski over to have dinner with us. They usually like to have a chat with us."

Egon stopped in place as his mother mentioned his father. Egon felt a knot form in his stomach as he remembered an incident from a few days ago. Mr Spengler got rather angry with him after he made a mess of the backyard with an experiment involving large quantities of liquid foam and food colouring that went south very quickly.

"Why don't you ever think of the consequences!? This will take too long to clean up!"

Egon recalled all the times his father would get mad over such trivial things. The infuriated tone in his father's voice always made it hard to handle and always made his insides cold. His mother reassured him that he was just having a bad day and did not know how to handle it. But Egon remembered how Mr Spengler looked at him this morning when he was leaving for work. A blank yet somehow disappointed stare through round wire framed glasses. Egon hesitated as he looked up to his mother with a nervous look.

"Mother? Is father still upset over my liquid foam experiment?" The boy genius asked as he held his right wrist with his left hand.

Mrs Spengler blinked in confusion at the question. But then she remembered.

"Oh, Spookums. He didn't mean snap at you like that." She tried to reassure him. "He was tired and worn out from work that day."

"Like that other day where I didn't even do anything at all and he was still mad about nothing?" Egon recalled another incident involving his fathers’ temper.

Mrs Spengler sighed and kneeled down to her sons’ level; even though he was a bit tall for his age.

"I don't like it when he gets like that with you, Egon. I tell him that whenever he says something to you. But he's being working extra hard lately and he doesn't really know how to handle his feelings." She explained as sincerely as she could. "Like how you don't real know how to handle yours."

"I know how to handle my feelings." Egon crossed his arms and looked away.

"That's what your father always says." Mrs Spengler. "Look, I know he can be a bit much, but it's not going last too long. He'll get a chance to calm down by the end of next week and maybe he'll even help you with your experiments."

Egon glanced at his mother for a brief moment before thinking. He knew his father was not the best parent at times. But more often than not, he would do things for his wife and son to make up for it or when he would spend a rather large amount of time at his lab. Egon recalled one time when his father had a day off and took him to see a showing of Frankenstein at a local theatre in town. Both of them were passionate about science, so afterward they discussed the scientific aspects of the black and white monster feature on the way home. Egon always enjoyed discussing his interests with his father; but the man had become so distant over the past few years after being promoted. Nowadays, he only had his Uncle Cyrus to look up to when he came to visit. The boy just looked up at his mother with a rather saddened look.

"I just wish he wouldn't be so mad all the time." Egon confessed as he looked away again.

Mrs Spengler knew her son was hard to convince. But that would not stop her from trying. She gently placed her hand on the bottom of his chin and turned his head to face her. Egon did not put up any fight or struggle as she did so.

"Egon. I want you to remember something important." Mrs Spengler spoke in a firm yet gentle tone. "I know your father gets angry sometimes. But it's never because of you or something you did. It's either because of his lab work or something else entirely. He loves and cares about you and I want you to remember that."

Egon felt his face turning red as his mother smiled at him and put her hand on his cheek.

"Can you do that for me, Spookums?" She asked as she still smiled.

Egon fought the urge to smile or show feeling as his eyes went another way.

"Yes." He said quietly.

Mrs Spengler shook her head and pulled him into a tight hug; trapping him in a playful manner as she nuzzled his cheek; making him squirm and struggle.

"C'mon; say it with a smile." She teased as she held him tightly and nuzzled him.

Egon failed to fight it and broke into a giggling and smiling fit at his mother’s mercy.

"Yes! Please put me down! Please!" He began to beg through laughs.

Mrs Spengler finally let go; letting her son take a breather as he got the last few giggles out.

"Okay. I'm gonna go ask Mr and Mrs Polanski if they want to come over." Mrs Spengler said as she grabbed an umbrella and walked towards the door before turning back to her son. "I won't be long, but make sure the food doesn't burn."

"Yes, mom." Egon said as he regained his composure.

With that, Mrs Spengler went next door to invite the neighbours over to have dinner with the mother and son; to which they gladly said yes.


	2. Things in Your Closet

Egon took a sip of water as he looked at the elderly couple sitting across from him at the dinner table. Mr and Mrs Polanski were good friends with Egons' parents. Mostly with his mother anyway.

Mr Polanski was a retired carpenter with a scruffy looking appearance. He had a short grey beard to go with his grey hair; showing only a few wrinkles on his face. He had a pair of big round glasses held up by a big round nose. He was wearing a dark red sweater vast over a beige dress shirt, dark brown slacks and brown loafers.

Mrs Polanski was a rather short woman; only just below Egons' height by one inch. Her hair was a faded blonde colour that went with the wrinkles on her ageing but welcoming face. She was wearing a pink dress with a woolly white cardigan over her shoulders. Mrs Polanski was quite healthy for her age, but for the last few months she had been using crutches because of an incident that put her left leg in a cast. The pair seemed like the perfect old couple; even though they got into arguments that mostly involved rather comedic bickering.

"We're glad you and Harold could join us for dinner tonight, Abigail." Mrs Spengler welcomed them as she set the roast chicken on the table. "Sorry my husband couldn't join us tonight. He's working late again it seems."

"Oh, that's alright, Katherine. Harold and I had nothing planned anyway so why not come around to see friends." Mrs Polanski kindly waved off the apology with a light southern accent.

"I was going to clean out the closet in the kids’ old room, but hey; I can just do it tomorrow." Mr Polanski spoke with a rather odd accent and a slightly sarcastic tone.

Mrs Polanski responded by jabbing her husband in the side with her elbow; making him change his tone.

"Uh; so anyway, how are things with this fine young man here?" The old man asked the boy sitting across from him.

Egon put his glass down as he tried to think of an answer.

"Well, school has been shut down for the next few weeks because of rodents." The boy recalled the news. "So in a way, I'm on a vacation."

"Well it's a good thing they're taking care of it. The last thing anyone would want is kids getting sick from diseased rats." Mrs Polanski spoke with slight worry.

"That's nothing." Mr Polanski crossed his arms in disagreement. "When I was a boy in the old country, I still had to go to school when rats were coming in and out. But I turned out fine and healthy as ten men."

"Well that was before they found out that rats carried the Black Plague, Harold." Mrs Polanski began to argue with her husband.

Mrs Spengler raised a brow as the elderly couple began to discuss diseases at the dinner table. She cleared her throat to get their attention.

"Maybe we should eat something before we lose our appetite." Mrs Spengler proposed as she began to cut the meat.

Egon was ready to add his thought to any discussion the grownups had as his mother picked out a leg and some meat to put on his plate. He picked out his own vegetables as the elderly couple talked about a lighter hearted subject.

"I've been trying to grow some flowers in my backyard for a few days, but Buster keeps pulling them out and playing with them." Mrs Polanski talked about their dog. "Gardening is quite hard to do with a dog. But he's really a good boy."

"You've been doing some gardening? Egon's been doing something similar." Mrs Spengler said with a smile as she put vegetables on her plate.

Egon froze halfway through chewing a piece of broccoli when his mother told the neighbours about his fungus hobby.

"What kind of gardening do you get up to, boy?" Mr Polanski asked rather curiously.

Egon swallowed the food in his mouth before he hesitantly answered the question.

"I've been collecting molds, spores and fungus." He answered rather simply yet bluntly.

Mr Polanski gave Egon a bewildered look, but Mrs Polanski seemed rather interested.

"Well I've been thinking of growing mushrooms in my garden to use for cooking. Perhaps you could recommend what kind."

"Well, one type of edible fungus would be the Agaricus arvensis; more common known as horse mushroom." Egon began what would be a long explanation.

Mrs Spengler watched and listened as her son gladly talked about one of his passions with someone who would gladly listen. Egon did not really have a lot of people to talk who were his own age. Most kids were interested in toys and football; not science, experimentation or books. It did make her worry about his future; but it always made her glad when he was happy.

"And Orange Jelly fungus can be used in cooking, but it's mostly bland and flavourless." Egon finished his explanation.

"Perhaps I should have brought a note book to write all that down." Mrs Polanski said before digging into the food on her plate.

"I'll remember all that, Abigail. I'm like an elephant; I never forget." Mr Polanski boasted of himself.

"Says the man who couldn't find his socks. When they were in the same dresser all along." Mrs Polanski teased.

Mr Polanski just gave his wife a rather annoyed look before taking a bite from his portion of chicken.

"So how's Mr Spengler, Katherine?" Mrs Polanski asked to make conversation. "He must be working very hard if he can't come home for dinner."

"His job has become quite demanding as of late." Mrs Spengler explained. "Hopefully he'll get his project done and has some much needed time off. Maybe even spend some time with Egon."

Egon just ignored the conversation and took another sip of water after swallowing some chicken.

"Well if you ask me, a man should be allowed to spend time with his family. It's just a shame that nowadays Society demands so." Mr Polanski gave out his two cents. "It's not as bad as it was during the war, but still."

Egon could not help but go in deep thought as the adults just talked amongst themselves. The boy began thinking about some things. Nothing deep or saddening. Just a math equation or two. But then he had an odd feeling in his stomach; taking a moment to realise what it was.

"Please pardon me for a minute." Egon politely said as he stood up and walked out of the dining room.

The adults watched him as he left the room; going into the hallway.

"I wonder if it's something I said." Mrs Polanski worried a bit.

"Oh don't worry Abigail." Mr Polanski shrugged it off. "The broccoli probably didn't agree with him."

Mr Polanski was wrong about the broccoli. Egon just needed a bit of time to himself. As Egon washed his hands with the soup in the bathroom sink. He looked at himself in the mirror. He noticed a slightly red patch on his forehead that was partially covered by his fringe. Egon sighed as he hoped his mother would not notice and freak out over it. She was definitely going to notice if it bruised up and turned yellow.

Egon dried his hands and made his way out of the bathroom. But he stopped at the door and looked back to the wall where the mirror and sink was. He did not look at mirror or the sink though. He looked at a rather large sized fist shaped crack in the wall. He cringed as he remembered how it got there just last week. The image of his father punching the wall in frustration with a grunt that almost sounded like a swear flashed in Egons’ mind. But he quickly dismissed the thought; straightening out his shirt before going back to the dining room and re-joining his mother and guests.

* * *

 

After Mr and Polanski thanked the Spengler’s for the roast, Egon decided to get ready for bed. After taking a much needed bath and putting on a set of warm two-piece light brown pyjamas. Egons' room was a decent sized for a child at his age. There were necessities like a bed with warm sheets and blankets, a wardrobe for clothes, shelves for his large collection of books, a window to let in some light or breeze during summer and a closet in the corner for storage. But there was a surprising abscess of toys. People would often be surprised that Egon did not really have any toys because his parents did not really believe in them. Mostly his father. In fact, the closest things he had to toys were his science kits and half of a slinky that he was currently in the middle of straightening.

Egon took the jars of fungus he collected today from his satchel and placed them on his shelve with a few other jars. He put his hands on his hips as he admired the various specimens; telling himself he would have to plant them in the backyard tomorrow.

But Egon was quickly pulled out of his thoughts when he heard the sound of a car pulling up out front. He gasped as he realised that his father was home, and probably stressed and angry. Egon quickly jumped into bed; turning off the lamp on the nightstand beside him, taking off his glasses and putting them on the nightstand and pulling the sheets and blankets over his little form. The boy heard the sound of the front door opening and closing through the paper thin walls of the house. Then he faintly heard voices.

"Hard day again?" Egon heard his mother ask her husband as he came in.

"Dr Hudson wants me to attend a conference coming up in the week to show off the project and its results." He heard his fathers' tired yet stern voice. "It's almost done, but I just want it to be over."

Egon heard a bit of silence for a moment.

"Where's our son?" Mr Spengler asked through the walls.

"He was getting ready for bed a few minutes ago. He might have fallen asleep by now." Mrs Spengler explained.

Egon curled himself up under the blanket and laid his head still against the pillow as he heard footsteps coming towards his room; hoping his father would just have a look for only a moment and leave him to sleep.

Egon heard the sound of his door creaking open slightly. A man wearing a grey dress shirt and black pants in his late thirties looked through the opening. People would easily know that he was Egons' father; having almost identical but older features to him. He had a pair of wire framed glasses over the coffee coloured eyes inherited by his son. His hair was black with a hint of grey coming through. He had age lines on his face that made him look a bit older then he really was.

Mr Spengler just made a quiet sound of no emotion before leaving and quietly closing the door.

Egon could hear him going back to the living room as he walked on the hard wooden floor of the hallway. He was talking to mother again. But Egon decided to block it out and go to sleep. After a while, Egon finally fell asleep at 11:28.

But little did he know that something was happening at precisely midnight.

* * *

Everyone in the Spengler household was asleep by 11:59. Egon was curled up in his sheets with his head resting against the pillow. As Egon slept, a breeze picked up from his slightly opened window. It was not enough to wake him. But as Egon slept, something odd was happening in the corner of room where the closet was. A faint yellow light steeped through the gap underneath as the wind outside seemed to pick up. The handle on the door quietly jiggled and rattled before it began to turn slowly. Before long, the closet door creaked open; making the yellow light slowly spread in Egons room before reaching his bed.

Egon being to stir out of his slumber as the bright light shined on his eyelids. The boy slowly opened them by half and looked towards the source of the light with tired and blurred vision. He blinked when he saw a figure outline in his vision as he heard slow and deep breathing; thinking it might have been his father at first. But it only took a second to realise that the figure did not look normal; even with Egons' limited vision.

REOW!!

Egon jumped in his bedsheets when he heard an alarming sound come from his window. He looked at it to see a weird grey shape on the windowsill; making high pitched snarling and growling sounds. Egon looked back at the figure as it made a deep growl in return and backed away. Egon tried to reach for his glasses when he heard an inhuman, deafening shriek. Egon took his hands back to cover his ears and closed his eyes. Before he knew it, the shriek ended and the yellow light faded away from the room; leaving him in the dark. Opening his eyes again, Egon reached for his glasses and the bedside lamp; turning it on as he put on his glasses. With his vision restored, Egon could see where that light and strange figure came from. The closet.

Meow

But Egon quickly turned to the window to see what was growling at the window. A cat.

"Hey! Get out of here!" He sat up and tried to shoo away the stray. "Go on! Go away!"

The cat just made a displeased snarl before jumping out the window; disappearing into the cloudy night. Egon walked over to the window and closed it; hopefully preventing anything else from coming inside. Egon felt his ears ringing as he looked towards his closet; thinking of what just happened a minute ago. Something came out of the boy's closet, but the cat seemed to scare it off. Egon was not really sure though. He was tired and he could not see properly without his glasses. But he wanted to make sure.

Egon walked over to the closet and slowly put his hand on the doorknob; mentally preparing himself for anything behind the door as he turned the knob. He quickly opened the door expecting bright yellow to flash at him. But he blinked in confusion upon what he saw. Nothing.

Egon only saw boxes for storage collecting dust. The boy looked down at the floor in confusion. Maybe he was seeing things because he was sleep deprived. Maybe he just had an odd dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we meet Mr and Mrs Polanski; the old couple next door. We get a glimpse of Mr Spengler and a brief encounter with Youknowwho.


	3. Tea Leaves and Twinkies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Egon learns some rather unsettling things... but also discovers twinkies!

Egon watched his mother as she set two plates of toast on the dining table for herself and her son. Mr Spengler had not left for work yet, but Egon could hear him muttering under his breath that he was already late enough as it is. Mrs Spengler laid out a fresh bowl of porridge and two smaller empty bowls for herself and Egon; who was pouring himself a glass of orange juice. Mr Spengler came out into the dining room in his suit and tie with his briefcase to grab a quick snack before leaving.

"I'll call you if I'm working late again and I'll let you know what's going on with this conference." He said as he grabbed a piece of toast and kissed his wife goodbye.

Egon watched as his father turned to him and looked at him like he was going to say something.

"Don't burn down the house while I'm gone." The tired man warned as he left the dining room and walked out of the house.

Egon just ignored him and grabbed a bowl to have some porridge. Mrs Spengler watched with concern as her son dug into his breakfast with a rather distant look in his eyes. Maybe she should bring up something to talk to him about.

"So, have you decided what you want to do?" She asked rather blankly.

Egon was about to put a spoonful of porridge in his mouth when his mother asked the question with no context.

"Do what?" He asked for clarification.

Mrs Spengler shook her head as her son forgot about what was happening next week. He was quite a genius at his age, but he would forget his head if it was not attached to his body.

"Your birthday, Spookums. It's next week before thanksgiving." She reminded him.

Egon blinked as he remembered and realised that he was turning twelve next week. But he had not decided what he wanted to do for his birthday.

"Right; umm… I'm not sure." He confessed before digging into his porridge and toast.

"Really? I thought maybe you'd want to go to the museum." Mrs Spengler assumed.

"We went there for my last three birthdays. I'll let you know by the end of the week." Egon reassured.

Mrs Spengler would have rather had a definite answer now, but she let her son take his time.

"Alright. I just wanted to see if you want to invite anyone besides Uncle Cyrus or Grandma Mildred; that's all." She explained as she dug into her breakfast.

Egon just continued eating his porridge as Mrs Spengler tried to think of something to talk about. Then she had an idea.

"Say, Egon. If you're not doing anything today, how about you go over to Mr and Mrs Polanski's house and help them with some chores?" She suggested with a smile. "Like maybe... Take their dog for a walk."

Egon froze with a spoonful of porridge in his mouth when his mother mentioned the neighbour’s dog. He swallowed his food with difficulty before replying to her.

"Mother, have you seen their dog?" He asked as if she said something crazy. "It's a St. Bernard and it jumps on me and licks me every time it sees me."

"Oh, Spookums; that's just his way of saying he likes you." Mrs Spengler reassured him.

"I don't hate dogs; I just don't like it when they drool on me." Egon said as he crossed his arms.

Mrs Spengler just shook her head at the stubborn tone of her son. But she had her way of convincing him.

"Well... least he's a dog, and not a spider."

Egon turned to look at her with surprisingly wide eyes when she mentioned spiders.

"I mean, dogs are pretty hairy and they make a mess from time to time. But at least they only have four legs and not eight."

Egon tried to keep his composure, but he felt his stomach twisting into a knot.

"Also, dogs don't have those ugly, ugly fangs and-"

"Okay! You've made your point! I'm sorry." Egon quickly responded with an apology. "Please stop talking about those disgusting creatures."

Mrs Spengler quickly realised she made Egon upset by talking about his most hated kind of creature. Arachnids. She grabbed his hand and held it tightly but gently.

"I'm sorry, Egon; I didn't mean to upset you." She apologised with all the sincerity her voice could have. "I was trying to tell you that Buster couldn't hurt a fly. He'd never hurt you on purpose."

Egon nodded as he looked down at the floor. He knew most canine breeds like Saint Bernards were known for being lovable companions; even protecting children. He looked at his mother as he exhaled.

"I'll just plant some of my fungus specimens in the backyard then I'll go over." He promised before getting back to the rest of his porridge and slightly cold toast.

"Ok; I'll get a jacket ready for you." Mrs Spengler promised back as she left the table.

* * *

"And bring paper bags when you take him to the park."

Egon said goodbye to his mother as he walked out the front door; keeping his warm jacket around himself as a breeze went by. Egon looked up at the slightly grey sky. It did not look as bad as it did yesterday and the weather report on the television there would be rain later tonight; so he thought it was safe to take a dog to the park. Egon made his way to his neighbour’s house on the right; going past his own mailbox and stepping through the open Pickett fence of the Polanski household. Egon made it to the front door; knowing he was going to hear barking at any second. He looked down at the mat he was standing on; knowing it was there for a long time before he was even born. Egon raised his hand and reached for the bird shaped knocker on the door; knocking it three times and taking a step back. After a few seconds; Egon heard the doorknob turning before it slowly opened to Mrs Polanski on crutches. But she smiled warmly when she saw who was at the door.

"Oh hello, Egon." She kindly greeted. "How nice to see-"

But she was cut off by a loud bark. Egon gasped when he saw a rather large canine running towards the door from inside the house. And it was coming towards him.

"No not again!" He said out loud as he braced for the impact.

"Buster! Stop!"

Egon had his eyes shut as waited for Buster to knock him to the ground and start licking him without mercy. But nothing happened. He opened them and looked forward to see a large St Bernard dog with brown and white fur just sitting there with his tail wagging and tongue sticking out. Mrs Polanski had her hand on the dogs head.

"Don't worry, Egon. Buster learned his lesson; he won't jump on you or anything." She reassured him. "But I'm sure he'd like a pat."

Egon made a rather nervous noise. As he looked at the large dog. Sitting down, he was right next to Egons’ chest and towered over him when standing on his hind legs. He hesitated, but Egon pulled out his hand and slowly pat Buster on top of his furry head a few times.

"Good boy, Buster?" He wondered if he was doing it right.

Buster replied with a loud bark in response; making Egon Take a step back. Buster went back inside with his tail wagging; satisfied with the small amount of affection from his neighbour. Mrs Polanski turned back to the boy with a warm smile.

"He just gets excited when people come to visit." She said with shrug. "Would you like to come in? I just made some tea."

"I like tea, yes." Egon spoke with a mild stutter.

Egon followed Mrs Polanski inside; using her crutches for support due to her left leg being in a cast. The Polanski house was quite similar to the Spenglers; frankly it was more cheery and bright. The living room had a wall of photographs of who Egon assumed were all family. A cupboard in the corner had a large number of antiques inside; quite a few of them being teapots. A record player was sitting on a small table next to the cupboard; playing a song by Henry Hall. Egon listened to the current song as it played.

_Hush-Hush-Hush_

_Here comes the Boogeyman!_

_Don't let him come too close to you_

_He'll catch you if he can_

_Just pretend, that you're a crocodile_

_And you will find that Boogeyman will_

_Run away a mile_

_Say Shoo-Shoo_

_And stick him with a pin!_

_Boogeyman will very nearly jump out of his skin_

_Say Buzz-Buzz_

_Just like the wasp that stings_

_Boogeyman will think you are an elephant with wings!_

_Hush-Hush-Hush_

_Here comes the Boogeyman!_

_Tell him you got soldiers in your bed_

_For he will never guess that they are only made of lead_

The lyrics seemed a bit odd, but he just ignored it. Mr Polanski came in whistling from the kitchen with a tray of freshly made tea and a small bowl of candy.

"Well, look who came to visit." He spoke with pleasant surprise when he saw Egon. "Take a seat."

Mr Polanski walked over to the couch where Buster was taking up room.

"Move over, Buster!"

Buster quickly got off the couch. Egon hesitantly sat down on the large couch. Buster sat right next to him on the floor; staring at him with his tongue hanging out. Egon just kept his composure as Mr Polanski put the tray on the coffee table in front of him.

"So what brings you to our neck of the woods, kid?" The old man asked as he sat down on the other chair.

"Well, my mother wanted me to come over and see if you needed help with anything." Egon explained as he looked at the tea and candy on the tray.

"Well, I'm not really sure if we have anything you can do. But we'll think of something." Mrs Polanski replied as she made a cup of tea for the young boy. "Have a bit of taffy if you like."

Egon looked at the bowl of candy. His mother and father would not let him have too much sugar, but maybe one piece would not hurt. He picked out one piece. But in an almost comedic turn, the candy pieces were all stuck together and were now stuck on Egons hand. The boy grunted in discomfort as he tried to pull the candy bowl off, but nothing came from it. Mrs Polanski blinked in slight concern.

"Do you need any help with that?" She asked politely.

Mr Polanski watched as Egon laid back on the couch; trying to push the candy off with his shoe.

"I- I think I can-"

Egon could not finish his sentence when the bowl of sticky candy flew off his hand; sending him falling off the couch and onto the floor with a grunt. He could hear Mrs Polanski gasp while Mr Polanski started laughing hysterically. The old man was not laughing at him, was he? Egon sat up and looked up with wide eyes to find the candy bowl stuck to the ceiling. The boy quickly got back on the couch as he quietly panicked.

"I'm so sorry!" He quickly apologised; thinking he was in trouble.

"Oh no; don't be sorry, dear." Mrs Polanski reassured as she looked up at the ceiling. "I forgot how old that candy actually was."

"We'll clean it up later, Abigail." Mr Polanski said as he wiped away his tears of laughter. "Maybe for now, you could just read the tea leaves from Egons tea."

Egon made a rather quiet noise of question when Mr Polanski made his suggestion. Whenever Egon or his parents came over to visit, Mrs Polanski would always read the leftover tea leaves in their cups and say she was telling their future. Mrs Spengler always thought it was interesting and enjoyable. Mr Spengler thought it was fake and ridiculous. Egon was not really sure what to make of it. Whenever Mrs Polanski read his fortune, it usually had mixed results. Sometimes she was right about some things. But most of the time, she was wrong.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt." Egon decided before taking his tea and drinking it up.

When he was finished his tea, he handed the cup to the kind old woman for her to read.

"Now let’s see..." she began reading the dark leaves at the bottom of the cup.

Egon fiddled with his sleeves; thinking nothing would happen. But Mrs Polanski made a rather worried sounding gasp that made the boy look up.

"Oh dear." She muttered before looking at the boy.

"What does it say?" Egon asked with his eyebrow raised in confusion and curiosity.

Mrs Polanski looked like she was trying to think of how to say what she wanted to say.

"Well. It says... you are in danger."

Egon looked at Mrs Polanski with wide eyes. He expected her to say something like 'you will gain profit this week' or 'you will face a challenge today'; not you are in danger.

"What? That can't be right!" Mr Polanski looked at his wife like she was crazy before standing up out of his chair. "Give me that cup, Abigail! Your eyes are going!"

Mrs Polanski gave her husband an annoyed look as he snatched the teacup from her.

"My eyes!? You're the one who's blind as a bat!" She was quick to comment on his eyesight.

Egon just watched in confusion as Mr Polanski tried to read the tea leaves himself. The old man made odd sounds as he looked closely before sounding sure of himself.

"Nothing to worry about, my boy. It's good news." He said to reassure Egon. "Says here, there's a lovely, exotic creature in your future."

"A what?" Egon just questioned; Buster barking once to reply.

Mrs Polanski just rolled her eyes in annoyance of her husband.

"Harold, oh really; you're holding it wrong." She grabbed the cup from him and turned it into a different angle. "See? Danger!"

Egon was becoming more confused by the second.

"What is it?" He asked; trying to see into the cup.

He managed to get a decent look at it as Mrs Polanski told him what she saw.

"I see a very mysterious, sharp clawed hand." She said as she showed Egon.

Egon tilted his head a bit. The black tea leaves actually did look like a hand.

"No it's not!" Mr Polanski grabbed the cup and turned it upside down. "It's a giraffe!"

Now Egon thought it really did look like a giraffe. Mrs Polanski snatched the cup back from her husband.

"You've never seen a giraffe in your life, Harold!" She argued with him.

"I have so!" Mr Polanski argued back.

"Where?!"

"In a book!"

Egon decided that they were arguing for too long. The boy covered his mouth and let out a loud but fake sounding cough; getting their attention. The old couple stopped and gave him their attention. Egon thought of what he was going to say.

"So, if I am in any kind of danger, is there anything I can do to avoid it?" He asked; trying to sound like he was not worried.

Mr and Mrs Polanski seemed to forget about their argument as their turned to the boy; thinking of advice to give him.

"Don't break any mirrors." Mrs Polanski suggested.

"Get yourself a very tall step ladder." Mr Polanski added as he eyed his opposite.

Mrs Polanski just ignored him and continued talking to Egon.

"And be very, very careful." She finished her suggestions with a note of caution.

Egon jumped as Buster let out a loud bark. He fiddled with his sleeves as the dog began scratching his left ear with his left hind leg. Egon made a quiet uncomfortable sound as he remembered why he actually came here.

"Hey, if you don't really have any chores for me to do... Maybe I could take Buster to the park across the road?" He suggested what his mother thought he should do.

The old couple gave Egon odd looks.

"You want to take Buster for a walk?" Mr Polanski tried to clarify.

Buster began barking excitedly and jumped on the couch beside Egon when he heard someone say walk. Mrs Polanski watched as Egon tried to stay as far from Buster and his drooling tongue as possible.

"Are you sure, Egon? Buster can get very excitable. If he started running, you might get dragged along for the ride." The kind old lady warned.

"I'm quite sure I can handle it." Egon insisted; even though he really did not want to do it.

Mrs Polanski looked at her husband for an opinion. He only returned a shrug of indifference.

"Well, alright." She said as she went to grabbed Busters lead and a few paper bags. "Just be careful. He gets excited when he sees other dogs."

"And cats. For some reason, he seems to like cats." Mr Polanski added.

Egon raised a brow in question.

"To attack?" He questioned.

"No, to play with." The old man answered back.

* * *

 

Egon tried to keep a steady pace as he walked Buster to the park across the road; the large dog taking big steps with his tail wagging. Egon watched where he was going with the large canine. But that tea leaf reading was stuck in his mind. What did Mrs Polanski mean when she said he was in danger? She never said anything like that before when she did it before. But most of her readings never came true. Though there was the occasion where they really did happen. Not accurately, but similar in some way or form. Egon thought he was safe. Maybe he was in danger of something harmless, like a minor cold. Autumn was quite chilly this year and there was already a lot of rain.

"I can't be in any danger." He thought to himself as he and Buster reached the edge of the park. "I'm usually very careful."

But a loud bark took Egon out of his thought and made him stop in his tracks. He saw Buster barking wildly and wagging his tail.

"What is it, Buster? Do you need to go?" He asked the dog.

But out of nowhere, Buster started running; making Egon let out a short yell and started running to keep up as he was dragged along by the leash. Egon felt his heart pounding as he ran.

"Buster, stop! Bad dog! Stop!" He yelled out.

After half a minute of this, Buster stopped in the middle of the park by a tree and a swing set. Egon suddenly stopped as well. But he tripped over his own leg and fell onto a small but thankfully soft patch of grass. Unfortunately it still hurt in a few places.

"Perfect. Another bruise." He grunted as he held his left elbow; lying on the grass on his back.

Buster was looking down at Egon with his head tilted to the side.

"Hey, it's you."

Egon heard a familiar voice coming his way. The face that belonged to that voice was then standing over and looking down at him. The boy from yesterday.

"You sure fall down a lot, Egon." Danny said with a slight chuckle.

Egon just gave him an annoyed look before sitting up.

"I didn't fall over on purpose. Buster pulled on the leash and I fell." The boy genius said as he fixed up his glasses. “And last time I fell over, it was because of you.”

Danny looked at Buster as he scratched his ear.

"You have a dog?" He asked with a little smile on his face; like he was excited to see the St Bernard.

"He's not really mine. He's my neighbour’s dog." Egon clarified.

Danny put his hand on Busters’ head and scratched behind his ear; making the canine hang his tongue out happily from the attention.

"Hehe; I like dogs." The boy with the baseball cap smiled.

Egon watched the boy play with his neighbour’s dog before hearing a meow. Egon looked down to see the grey cat from yesterday looking up at him. He raised a brow as she tilted her head to the side. Egon was pretty sure it was the same cat.

"Are you sure this isn't your cat? She seems to follow you around wherever you go." He said as he pointed at her.

"No, she’s not mine. Aren't you, Kitty?" Danny said as Buster went over to her. "I don't really know her name, so I just call her Kitty."

"Really?"

The boy's watched as Buster went over to Kitty and started sniffing her. Kitty just took a step back and stared at the canine. Danny sat down at the base of the tree and took something out of his pocket. Egon saw what it was. It was wrapped in clear plastic, but Egon could see that it looked like some kind of cake snack or pastry.

"What's that?" The boy genius asked; pointing at the snack.

Danny looked down at his food.

"Oh, this?" He pointed at the convection in his hand. "It's a twinkie."

Egon watched as Danny reached into his pocket again and took out another one of these twinkies.

"Want one?" Danny held up the snack for Egon to take.

"I don't know. It looks like it might have sugar in it. My parents would get mad at me if I ate something like that." Egon tried to politely decline the offer.

"Hey, what they don't know won't hurt them. Come on, you'll like it." The other boy encouraged with a grin.

Egon looked at and observed the convection as he took off the plastic protecting it. It had a very sweet aroma coming from it. It was like a small golden yellow bread loaf that fit in his hand. Egon hesitantly opened his mouth and took a small bite of it; thinking it was going to taste weird.

But it did not.

Egon went wide eyed as a sweet taste hit his senses. It took him a second to realise there was a vanilla Cream filling inside; almost enhancing the taste of this new and strange food. Without realising it, Egon let go of Busters’ leash; being in a state of pleasant shock as he stood.

"Uhh, are you ok, mushroom boy?" Danny asked in slight concern.

Before he could answer, Egon preceded to scoff down the rest of the sweet treat; leaving nothing but the plastic it came in. Egon let out a weird sound of wander as he sat down next to Danny on the base of the tree.

"That... That was amazing!" He said; having trouble knowing what he was feeling after trying something so sweet. "I never had anything like that! Did you make it?!"

"No, my mom got them from the store." Danny answered the boy genius' question. "You've never had one?"

"No. I'm only allowed to have sugar on my birthday or on special occasions." Egon answered truthfully. "My mom would probably let me if my father wasn't so strict about it. I don't even have toys because he doesn't believe in them."

Danny looked at the boy in glasses with wide shocked eyes.

"You mean you don't even have a slinky?!" He questioned with confused shock.

Egon just shrugged before explaining.

"I have part of a slinky; but I'm currently in the process of straightening it." He explained; seemingly calmed down from the sugar hit.

Danny let out a confused noise before looking at Buster and Kitty. He laughed as the dog kept sniffing her; the cat bopping his nose in an attempt to make him go away. Egon watched with a little smile. But as he watched the grey cat being annoyed by the dog, a thought came into his mind about last night.

"I think your cat came to my house last night." Egon said rather bluntly.

Danny just looked at him and responded with a 'huh' sound.

"I had a weird dream last night and when I woke up; your cat was at my window." Egon explained more thoroughly.

"Really? I don't really know what she gets up to when I go to bed, but I can believe that. She must've taken a liking to ya." Danny replied with his two cents. "What kind of dream did she wake you from?"

Egon looked away as he thought about last night.

"I'm honestly not sure what it was." He thought out loud. "But part of me thinks it was not a dream. I was in my bed asleep when this bright yellow light came out of my closet."

Danny blinked in confusion as he listened to Egon.

"I woke up, but I couldn't see properly without my glasses. And I was half asleep and tired, so I could only make out the shape of this weird looking figure that came from my closet. Then Kitty snarled at it and it disappeared with the yellow light. When I told Kitty to go home, I looked inside my closet. But there was nothing there but cardboard boxes. So I thought it was a dream."

Danny put his hand to his chin as he thought of what Egon just told him.

"That actually sounds like something my grandpa told me about once." He said as he opened and ate his twinkie.

Egon gave him a confused look.

"Really? What did he tell you?" He questioned out of curiosity.

Danny chewed and swallowed his snack cake before explaining.

"Well, before I was born, my grandpa told my parents not to put a closet in my room." He began with a weird explanation. "Because when he was a kid, he had a twin sister. But one day, she disappeared. She just vanished without a trace. Everyone thinks she ran away or something. But grandpa keeps saying that she was stolen."

Egon blinked as Danny's story started to become rather gruesome.

"How was she kidnapped?" He asked. "Who took her?"

"Not who. Grandpa said one night; something came out of their closet and took her. He said it was this weird monster with a big giant head with pointed ears, blue skin, sharp teeth and claws, goats’ legs and a fancy coat that was dirty." Danny explained.

Egon just gave Danny a weirded out look after what he just told him. A monster coming of a closet and abducting a child. The very thing just sounded like something out of a horror story, or something parents would say to their children to make them behave. Egon did not believe it; thinking it might be something else entirely.

"Well, what do you think happened?" He asked Danny.

"I don't know. Maybe she ran away like everyone said." Danny spoke with a shrug. "Maybe grandpa said she was taken as a way to cope. I mean, I don't have any brothers or sisters; but I can't imagine how horrible-"

"Daniel!"

Danny flinched and looked around when he heard an elderly but loud and carrying voice. Egon saw an elderly looking man wandering around the park; using a cane to walk. Egon could not see his features because he was far away.

"Daniel! Where are you!?"

Danny just made a weird and nervous sound and muttered what sounded like ‘grandpa’ before he stood up.

"Nice talking to you again, Egon; but I gotta run." The boy with the baseball cap said before walking away.

Egon quickly said goodbye as Danny ran to the elderly man with the cane; assuming he was the boys’ grandfather. Kitty just meowed before following him and leaving Buster rolling around on the grass like there was no care in the world. Egon just sat there and thought about what Danny told him. About the monster. There is no way that could be true. Monsters were not real. They were just made up to scare children or explain things that could not be understood or explained in a rational way or manner. But Egon could not shake the feeling that something was not right. He just put the thought aside as he got up, grabbed Busters leash and took him home to his owners.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be honest; I've never had twinkies and I have no idea what they are like. So I had to make stuff up and see what happens.


	4. Visitor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Egons' father comes homes from work with a rather bitter attitude. Later, Egon gets an unexpected and very unwanted visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was supposed to be posted a day ago, but my computer was having problems. it's fixed now, so here ya go.

Mrs Spengler was sitting on the couch as she read her book. A record player in the corner was quietly playing a song called 'I don't want to set the world on fire' by the ink spots. She looked up from her book every couple of minutes to see Egon sitting on the floor and reading a book of his own. A massive encyclopaedia of fungi and spores. Mrs Spengler always found it amazing how focused he could get when he was reading one of his books; like there was nothing else there to interrupt him. Though she knew she could have a short conversation with him while he was doing it; he just would not make eye contact.

"Have you thought about what you might want for your birthday, Egon?" She asked; putting her book down. "Maybe, a microscope?"

"I already have one from my third birthday." Egon answered; not looking away from his encyclopaedia. "But I would like some gardening tools or a new chemistry set."

"I don't know about a chemistry set. You remember what happened with the last one?" Mrs Spengler reminded her son of an incident.

Egon made an uncomfortable sound as he slowly lowered his encyclopaedia; remembering what his mother was talking about.

"I didn't mean to burn down the garage. It really was an accident." He said uncomfortably; feeling like apologising so many times was not enough.

"Spookums; I know it was an accident." She reassured him as best as she could. "I just can’t out figure how you did it though. I mean; they could never have put massively dangerous chemicals in there. It was a kid’s chemistry set!"

Egon just responded with a slight shrug; honestly unsure of how he did it himself. Before he could get another word in, the mother and son heard the sound of the door opening. Mr Spengler came through the door with his briefcase under his arm and a piece of paper in his hands. Egon just sat there quietly while Mrs Spengler got up and approached her husband.

"Did you have a better day today, Charles?" She asked; hoping he would not react too badly.

Mr Spengler gave her a tired look before handing her the paper. It was an invitation to the conference.

"They want me to bring you with me." He said rather bluntly. "Apparently, they think being a married man shows how successful he is."

"Well that's good, isn't it?" Mrs Spengler questioned.

Mr Spengler put down his briefcase and loosened his tie before taking his coat off.

"If it means I can get a break from the project, then I suppose it is." He replied in a rather unemotional tone.

Egon quickly went back to reading his encyclopaedia; hoping his father would just leave him alone. Unfortunately, that was not going to happen. Egon could see his father approaching him and looming over him from the top of his encyclopaedia.

"So what did you get up to today?" Mr Spengler asked with little hints of interest; yet sounding uninterested at the same time.

Egon hated it when his father talked like that. But he did not show his dislike.

"I took the neighbour’s dog for a walk today." Egon said; keeping his eyes on the page he was on.

Mr Spengler just raised a brow before walking towards the hallway.

"Sounds productive." The seemingly unemotional man muttered as he walked away; loud enough for his son to hear.

Egon just made a quiet yet angered sound as his brows narrowed. The boy stood up from his spot on the floor; bookmarking his page and closing it.

"I hate it when he talks like that." He muttered under his breath as he retreated to his room.

Mrs Spengler watched as her son left with a hint of anger in his walk. She put her hand to her forehead in discomfort; finding it hard to watch when her husband and son were bitter towards each other.

* * *

After having dinner and helping his mother clean the dishes; Egon changed out of his day clothes to put on his pyjamas and get ready for bed. As Egon finished putting on his sleepwear, he could hear his parents talking like they were last night.

"So the conference will start at six PM tomorrow. I'll have to go shopping for a tuxedo and then we'll have to leave before twelve so we can get ready beforehand." He heard Mr Spengler speak in the living room. "But we need someone to look after Egon for the night."

"I can ask the Polanskis to do it. I'm sure they won't mind." Mrs Spengler replied. "They said they have a spare room that used to be for their son until he moved out."

Egon did not mind staying with Mr and Mrs Polanski; even though Buster would not leave him alone if he did. But part of him wanted to go with his parents to whatever it was they were doing. They would probably take him if they could, but maybe Mr Spenglers' boss probably said he could not bring his child.

"Are you sure we can't just hire a sitter?" He heard his father ask. "If Egon tried messing with any baking soda or vinegar in their kitchen, we can't be held responsible."

Egon almost felt offended when his father said that. He knew better then to go through people's things.

"Honey, please. Egon was only six when that happened; he learned his lesson." Mrs Spengler came to his defence.

Egon heard silence for a moment.

"Didn't it happen while I was at the lab?" Mr Spengler questioned with a small amount of aggression. "And what he did to the garage last year?"

Egon felt a knot form in his stomach when his father brought up the garage incident. He apologised for it at last fifty or sixty times when Mr Spengler got home to see what happened.

"Charles, you know it was an accident! He didn't mean it!" Mrs Spengler raised her voice at him.

"I know it was an accident!" Mr Spengler raised his voice further. "I just.... I just-"

Egon could hear his father struggling to reply. But then heard something strange and unusual. He heard sobbing. He heard his father sobbing. He could hear him trying to say something else.

"What if he got burned or hurt? What if we had to take him to the hospital!?" Mr Spengler sounded like he was panicking.

"He was fine, Charles. He ran out before anything happened and called the fire department; right when I was about to." Mrs Spengler tried reassuring her emotionally unstable husband.

Egon was sure that he could not listen anymore and went straight to his bed; burying himself in the blankets and putting his pillow over his head; waiting for his parents to go to bed.

After a few more minutes, he heard silence. Egon sighed as he took off his glasses and put them on the nightstand; ready to sleep for the night. Egon slept on his right side as his eyelids began feeling heavy; hopping it would not take too long for him to sleep.

But before Egon could even drift off, he heard the side of a door creaking open and saw light invading his eyelids; accompanied by heavy breathing. He groaned as he sat up and searched blindly for his glasses.

"Can we please talk about this tomorrow? I really need to-"

Egon never finished his sentence as he put on his glasses; giving him sight to see something that made him silent and his eyes go wide. That light was not coming from his bedroom door and what was standing in front of him was not his mother or father. Egon felt his heart pounding in fear as an unsettling creature stood before him. Standing in the doorway of the closet was the most hideous thing he had ever seen. A creature that looked exactly like what Danny talked about. A weird monster with a big giant head with pointed ears that would put an elephant to shame, dark blue spiked hair that flowed down the back, blue skin, sharp teeth and claws, goats’ legs and a dark blue dress coat with long tails that was dirty with grime. Egon even saw a pair of ghastly glowing yellow eyes with blood red pupils staring at him, a long pointed nose and red looking lips covering the sharp and pointed fangs. The boy found himself hovering his hand over his mouth as it opened and closed repeatedly. He swore he could feel his insides turn cold when the creature started smiling as he slowly approached the bed.

"S-stay back!" Egon found the courage to talk in front of the monstrous creature as he backed away as far as he could.

But the creature just let out a low chuckle as he continued to approach.

"You fear me, child." The creature spoke in a horridly raspy voice.

Egon began hyperventilating as the creature reached towards him with his sharp claw-like nails.

"You will fear the boogieman."

Egon felt like his heart was going to stop as the creature was about to grab him with his talons.

"REOW!!"

But the boy and the creature heard a familiar sound. Egon looked to his window to realise he left it open again; letting in a familiar cat. The creature backed away with a snarl of disgust. The cat jumped out of the windowsill and onto Egons’ bed; letting out a small but threatening hiss at the large headed monster. Egon only just realised what was going on. The cat was protecting him.

But a familiar voice found its way into the mix.

"Egon!? Why aren't you asleep!?"

All three could hear Mr Spengler making his way towards the room. The creature just let out an angered growl before retreating back into the closet and slamming it shut. Just after, the bedroom door opened wide with Mr Spengler standing there in his robe and slippers. Mrs Spengler came running behind him in her nightgown. Mr Spengler was about to say something when he noticed the cat on his sons’ bed.

"What the- Get out of here you pest!" He shouted as he shooed away the intruding feline.

Egon watched as the cat jumped back through the window; disappearing like it did the night before. Mr Spengler granted as he closed the window; knowing Egon forgot to close it as he turned to him.

"What did I tell you about leaving your window open!?" He questioned with a rather harsh tone. "This is why you keep getting sick!"

Egon was not paying attention to his father's voice. He was fixated on the closet door and what came out of it.

"T-the closet! Something c-came out of it!" The boy stuttered as he pointed at the door.

Mr Spengler turned and looked at the door while Mrs Spengler poked her head into the room.

"What came out, Spookums?" She asked in concern of her sons’ panicked tone.

"A monster! Some creature with a giant head and goats legs!" He described in vague detail. "It was reaching for me, but the cat scared frightened it and it went back in the closet!"

Mr Spengler just shook his head as he walked over to the closet and grabbed the doorknob; much to Egons’ horror.

"No wait!"

Mr Spengler opened the door; making Egon afraid of the creature coming back. But Egon just looked with shock and confusion when he saw nothing. There was nothing in the closet but cardboard boxes collecting dust; just like last night. Mr Spengler just turned to him with a tired and irritated face.

"There's nothing there, Egon." He spoke as he closed the closet door shut. "Go back to bed. We'll talk about this tomorrow."

Egon watched as his father left the room with his hands going through his hair in frustration. Mrs Spengler just sighed as she looked into her sons’ room as he turned on his lamp. She walked over to the bed and sat down beside him.

"Do you want to tell me what happened, Egon?" She asked; hopping to comfort him in any way possible.

Egon looked down as he fiddled with the blankets; knowing his mother would not believe him if he told her. But he wanted to tell her; he wanted her to stay and comfort him.

"Something came out of my closet." He stated plain and simple. "Some... some creature with a giant head, sharp teeth and a horrible sounding voice. It was reaching for me with sharp claws, but that cat came in through the window and scared it off when father started shouting and coming this way."

Mrs Spengler put her arms around her son; hoping to calm him down.

"Maybe you just had a bad dream, Spookums." She tried to help him make sense of it. "You might be a bit sleep deprived.

Egon wanted to believe it was just a dream. But he knew it was real. He knew he was telling the truth, or at least he thought he was. His father certainly did not believe it.

"Maybe I am tired." Egon lied as he broke away; thinking he should block the closet somehow.

"Are you going to be able to sleep again?" Mrs Spengler asked in concern for his health.

"I think I'll be fine." He nodded hesitantly.

Mrs just gave him a little smile before giving him a gentle kiss on the forehead.

"See you in the morning, Spookums." She wished him goodnight as she got up and left the room.

Egon kept up a little smile as his mother closed the door; leaving him with only the light of the lamp on the nightstand. Only when she was gone and going back to bed with his father did he drop it with a worried frown. Egon quickly got up off his bed and went over to his cupboard and attempted to push it in front of his closet; but the furniture would not budge. Egon found himself out of breath; knowing he had to do something else to prevent that thing from coming back. Egon had an idea. He quickly but quietly ran out of his room and out the back door to the backyard; making his way to the shed.


	5. Tobin's Spirit Guide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr Spengler takes Egon shopping with him, where the boy finds a book that would help him now and in the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I'm not making Egons' dad look like a complete D-bag. He's just a very stressed out man.

Mr Spengler slowly stirred awake as he heard the sound of his alarm clock. He reached over and turned it off; grabbing his glasses as well. He looked down at his wife as he sat up on the bed; finding it astounding how she was able to sleep through the sound of that blasted alarm clock. Mr Spengler looked at the time on the clock. 6:58AM. It was a bit later then what he usually had to wake up to; but he still wished he could sleep a little longer. He sighed as he laid his back against the bed and closed his still tired eyes; knowing he had a long day ahead.

But he opened his eyes again when he heard a rather odd sound. He sat up as he heard what faintly sounded like a hammer hitting a nail. The tired man got up out of bed and went into the hallway; trying to figure out where the noise was coming from. He stopped and raised a brow when he noticed where the noise was coming from. It was coming from Egons' room.

Mr Spengler walked to his sons room and slowly opened the door; hearing the sound a bit more clearly. He watched with wide eyes when he saw Egon holding a hammer in one hand and holding a nail in the other; holding a few more in his mouth between his teeth. The father quickly saw wooden boards on the floor and more of them nailed to the closet door; making him confused with whatever the boy was doing.

"Egon!"

Egon quickly stopped what he was doing and turned to see his father standing there with a tired but disgruntled look on his face.

"What do you think you're doing!?" He asked with his voice raised.

Egon quickly but carefully took the nails out of his mouth so he could answer back.

"I'm making sure that monster doesn't come back." He answered truthfully and honestly.

Mr Spengler pitched the bridge of his nose with a frustrated sigh before his son a calm yet disgruntled look.

"There's nothing in there. I showed you last night." He reminded the boy of last night.

Egon just gave Mr Spengler a blank face of indifference.

"I disagree with that." He simply said before going back to what he was doing.

Mr Spengler gave the boy an annoyed stare as Egon finished nailing another board to the closet door. But before Egon could pick up another board, Mr Spengler grabbed him by his collar and pulled him towards the hallway. Egon grunted as he felt his night shirt being pulled before stopping and having his father take the hammer from him by force. Mrs Spengler walked out of the master bedroom as she heard all the commotion.

"Egon! Look at me." Mr Spengler ordered in a harsh tone.

Egon narrowed his eyes as he looked up at his father returning the expression.

"You should be smarter than this." The man spoke with an unruly tone. "You're a Spengler. We are men of science and we know that monsters are not real. You know monsters are not real; and you know that nothing can just appear from your closet out of nothing! So stop it with this nonsense and-"

"Charles!"

Egon and Mr Spengler turned their heads to see Mrs Spengler standing there with a very bitter look on her face. But Egon knew it was not directed at him when Mr Spengler only calmed down a little bit. Mr Spengler straightened out his collar before giving Egon a stern look.

"Clean up your mess." He said before walking away down the hall.

Egon watched the man leave into the dining room. He bit his lip when he felt his mother put her hand on his shoulder; like she was telling him to calm down. It only helped a little; but not by much.

* * *

Egon struggled to get the last bit of cereal out of the bowl of milk it was floating in. Mr and Mrs Spengler already had their breakfast and were in the living room; knowing they were talking about him. But he decided to ignore it and finish his cereal. Mr Spengler came in as Egon began drinking the leftover milk. The man let out a quiet sigh before sitting across from his son.

"Egon?"

Egon finished his breakfast and looked at his father as he wiped the leftover milk off his lip. Mr Spengler knew he had his attention.

"I'm going to get some things from the shopping centre in town and I want you to come with me." He spoke in a slightly unemotional tone.

Egon blinked in confusion and tilted his head to the side a bit.

"Why?" He questioned with a small amount of suspicion.

"Your mother thinks we need to talk and spend a bit of time together before we leave for the conference."

Egon watched as Mr Spengler stood up and pushed his chair back under the table before looking at his son.

"We'll leave in ten minutes." He said before walking away.

Egon made a quiet noise of disinterest before moving to the sink to clean his bowl.

* * *

After a ten minute drive of silence, Mr Spengler and his son made it to the shops. Egon sat in a chair as his father talked to the man at the front desk of a tailor where men could get pre-made tuxedos or have them fitted and made for them. Egon sighed as he turned his head to the window behind him. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his favourite book shop right across from where he and his father were. Egon took some money with him and put it in his pocket; but he had a feeling his father would not let him do anything after what happened this morning.

"Egon."

Egon quickly turned back around when he heard his father say his name. Mr Spengler looked down at his son with a rather decent looking face of indifference.

"The tailor says my suit may take a while to prepare." He informed the boy sitting in front of him.

Mr Spengler folded his arms in front of him as he thought of something else to say.

"I'm not letting you off for what you did to your closet this morning. But your mother would hate me if I punished you too harshly." He explained as he straightened his sleeve. "So I'm allowing you to go across to the bookstore and find something to buy and read while we wait."

Egon eyed his father suspiciously; thinking this might be a trick of some sort.

"What's the catch?" The boy asked suspiciously.

"The only catch is that you're only allowed one book. I'm punishing you by setting a limit." Mr Spengler clarified.

The tailor called out to Mr Spengler; saying he was ready for a fitting. Mr Spengler quickly looked down at his son.

"Come back here and wait for me when you're finished." He instructed before walking into a fitting room.

Egon let out a hum of thought before getting up and walking out the door; making his way to the book shop. Egon pushed the door to Mr Pages bookstore; ringing a bell as he went through. Egon looked at all the shelves lined with books of all lengths and sizes; ranging from fiction to nonfiction and instructional to factual. Egon always enjoyed the vast knowledge that books held within their pages; but he always thought books would soon be obsolete with computers on the rise. Egon thought of all the books he could want. But he remembered what his father said; only one. But Egon already had something in mind.

Egon walked up to the counter where a hefty middle aged man with a short, dark beard was reading a book titled 'Think and Grow Rich'. Egon could only just see the top of the counter; reaching up only to his chest.

Egon made a faint coughing sound to get the man’s attention. The man looked away from his book and across the counter; raising a brow as he saw a familiar face.

"I don't have any more books on mushrooms, kid; you brought a copy of all the ones I got." He advised as he put his book down.

"As much as I enjoy the subject of fungi, Mr Black; I'm not here for anything like that today." Egon explained as he adjusted his glasses.

Mr Black raised a brow again when Egon said that.

"What are you here for then?" He asked rather curiously.

Egon thought of how he was going to explain why he was here.

"I need something that has explanations about supernatural creatures." He explained truthfully and got straight to the point.

Mr Black gave Egon a weird look before letting out a light chuckle.

"Fairy tales are at the back, Egon." He informed as he went back to his book.

"No not that. I need something that can tell me about hideous creatures that prey on and abduct children and hide in closets at night." Egon shook his head and explained further.

Mr Black stopped chuckling and raised a brow again; slightly more concerned.

"Sounds a bit disturbing to read for your age." He commented as he put his book aside. "You actually think there's something under your bed?"

"It's actually in my closet; but if I told you what it actually was, you wouldn't believe me because you haven't seen it." Egon stated the truth of the matter.

Mr Black thought about it for a moment before walking away from the counter.

"Come with me." He asked as he walked down one of the aisles.

Egon followed the man until they reached the right back of the store; greeted by dust. Egon felt unsettled by a small amount of cobwebs; but Mr Black just pushed them out of the way as he stopped in front of a bookshelf. He looked through them until he found a particular one that matched with what Egon wanted. He snapped his fingers when he found the right one.

"Not a lot of people were really interested in this one." Mr Black remarked as he pulled the medium sized book off the shelf. "But I did read it a while ago and it's got some pretty freaky stuff in it."

Mr Black handed the hardback book to Egon; the boy read the title as he took it into his hands.

Tobin's Spirit Guide

Egon thought the title was a tad odd; wondering if this could really could tell him anything about the creature that approached him last night and the night before.

"Can this tell me anything about monsters in my closet?" He asked to make sure he was given the right book.

"Pretty sure of it." Mr Black clarified as he walked Egon back to the counter. "Though I can't really say it'll help with anything because I'm also pretty sure half of the stuff in there isn't real."

"You'd be surprised." Egon said in his mind.

Egon paid Mr Black for the guide for a cheap price; thanking him for his business and saying goodbye on his way out. The boy made his way back across to the tailors and sat back at where he was before. His father was still in the fitting room and was probably going to be there for a while. So Egon took the opportunity to take a read at Tobin's spirit guide and find what this creature in his closet actually was. Egon took a look at the index as he tried to remember what happened last night. The creature said something to him before retreating.

"You will fear the Boogieman."

Egon blinked as he remembered that name. Boogieman. That could not be it. Egon knew about the fabled Boogieman; but he also knew it was just something parents used to scare their children into going to bed on time or doing their chores. His parents never had to use it on him though; he was smart enough to know it did not exist. But whatever was in his closet was real, and he wanted to get rid of it as soon as possible. With a short exhale, Egon looked through the index of the guide to see which page had details about this Boogieman.

Section III: Metaspecters. Page 40-48

Egon quickly but gently opened to those pages; greeted by unsettling drawings similar to the creature he encountered. Egon swallowed a mouthful of nervous spit as he began to read the following passages.

"This creature is something that I myself only encountered briefly as a child. But it left a lasting impression on me and my fears. Other children that I personally knew had encountered this monster coming out of their closet at night; traumatizing them for many years.

He seems to have a dependence on children's fears; seemly weak without them if he has not frightened a victim during a certain period of time. While he does not always physically harm a child, I knew of one case where someone that I knew disappeared sometime after saying that the creature came to scare him. This child was never seen again since. Perhaps there are times where the creature finds a child with a unique sense and taste of fear that intrigues him so much, that he becomes greedy and cannot get enough. To the point where he abducts the victim; leaving no trace and only grieving parents.

My findings and research have lead me to believe that this creature is the fabled boogieman; a legend used to frighten children who misbehave. While my research as lead me to find that he can alter a small portion of reality when harvesting fear from a child as well as using a high volume screech when provoked, I have had no luck in finding anything that can keep him at bay or prevent him from coming out of a closet for good. So far, the only thing you can do is remove or block the closet with heavy objects. But the most important thing to do is remove the child from the room to somewhere where a child normally would not be so the creature has no pray or target."

Egon found himself slowly perforating as he read through the page of details about the monster. He only found a way to block the boogieman from coming out of his closet; but the danger was still there. Egon quickly realised that maybe he did not have anything to worry about. He was going to stay with Mr and Mrs Polanski tonight; away from his closet. But he remembered Mr Polanski saying something about having a closet in their grown up sons room. Though that room probably was not used for a long time after he moved out. Maybe the boogieman could not use it. Right?

"Egon."

Egon jumped as he heard his father say his name and looked up to see him standing over him; holding a wrapped up paper bag in his hand.

"We're done here. We can go home now." He spoke in straightforward tone.

Egon nodded in understanding and stood up out of the chair; following his father out of the tailor.

* * *

Mr Spengler kept his eyes on the road in front of him; occasionally glancing at the passenger’s seat and its occupant. Egon was reading some of the other entries of his new book. Half of the stuff in there was unbelievable. Ghosts; spectres; trolls; half of these things should not even exist. Though the thing in his closet had a fair few pages in here about him and he was very real. Mr Spengler stopped at a red light behind another car before looking at his son.

"What are you reading exactly?" He asked; trying to sound interested and curious.

Egon tried to think of how to answer without referring to the incident from last night.

"Just another encyclopaedia."

"It's not very big. How much was it?" Mr Spengler asked.

"Two dollars."

Mr Spengler made a mildly pleased sound; even though his blank expression did not match. He quickly put his attention back on the road and went as the light turned green and the car in front went as well. Mr Spengler quickly glanced at Egon as he fidgeted in his seat. Mr Spengler knew he had to bring a certain subject up now that he was alone with the boy.

"Would you care to explain why you boarded up your closet this morning?" He asked with a rather passive aggressive tone.

Egon gave his father a glance before looking forward.

"A Monster. Like I told you." He spoke quietly, but loud enough for his father to hear.

Mr Spengler just shook his head as he turned around a corner.

"It might have just been a spider. You do have a very prominent case of arachnophobia." Mr Spengler reminded the boy of his worst fear.

"It was not a spider." Egon disagreed with the man. "Whatever it was; it was not normal."

Mr Spengler glanced at his son before slowly pulling over to the side of the road. Egon watched in confusion as his father turned the key in the ignition and turned off the car. Egon was expecting his father to repeat what he said this morning with his harsh tone. But something else happened. Mr Spengler turned around and looked at Egon with an unemotional face. But the words that were about to leave his mouth sounded as sincere as he could be.

"Egon, do you know what I do for a living?" He asked.

Egon was not really sure where this was supposed to be going, but knew it had to go somewhere.

"You're a medical scientist." The boy answered in a rather bored tone; like he had to answer the question once before.

"I work in mental health. I research the mind and the functions of the brain. One thing I usually deal with is the effects on one’s health when they lack a certain amount of sleep or proper stimulation."

Egon blinked as his father continued to speak.

"Perhaps you think you think you saw this 'monster' because you haven't been able to go to school for the past few days, or you're sleep deprived." Mr Spengler assumed realistically.

Egon gave his father a rather irritated look.

"The school has only been closed for a week and I've been keeping myself stimulated and occupied. And maybe the reason why I'm sleep deprived is because I keep hearing you ranting about how much you hate your job when you come home from work." Egon spoke in a surprisingly calm tone.

Mr Spengler gave Egon an irritated look before it softened into a slightly confused face. The man turned his head away before letting out a deep but brief sigh.

"I don't hate my job; I've just been overworking." Mr Spengler clarified as he put his hand through his hair.

"That’s what you always say." Egon spoke with a rather spiteful tone. "But you always snap at me."

Mr Spengler remembered how he reacted to some of Egons’ science experiments when they went wrong. He knew it was less then pretty. But he never thought before he spoke. Mr Spengler let out a short exhale and looked at Egon.

"I never mean to snap at you. But you always make a mess." He reminded before saying something else. "After the conference tonight, I should get some time off. When I do, I'll make it up to you and spend some time with you and your mother."

Egon just turned away and held onto his book.

"You always say that too." He spoke quietly, but loud enough for his father to hear.

Mr Spengler blinked with an unemotional look on his face. He said nothing as he started up the car and got back on the road; staying silent and saying nothing on the way home.


	6. House Guest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Egon stays with Mr and Mrs Polanski while his parents are out of town.

Later into midday, Egon watched as his parents packed everything they needed in the back of the car. Mr and Mrs Polanski watched from their lawn and Buster wagged his tail; curious of what was going on next door. Mrs Spengler had Egons satchel in her hand when she walked over to him and handed it to him.

"Your toothbrush is there along with your pyjamas, a few extra pairs of underwear and your spare glasses. I put some earplugs in as well in case you need them when you sleep tonight." She explained the contents of the bag; making Egon turn light pink in embarrassment. "There's also your spare key in case you need anything else that I might have forgotten. Now, I'll call Mr and Mrs Polanski when your father and I get to the hotel so you know we made it."

Mr Polanski came around from his lawn to reassure the worrying mother.

"Don't worry, Katherine. Everything will be fine." He reassured her that her son was in good hands.

"We'll be glad to take care of Egon for the night." Mrs Polanski said from her side of the fence. "He's always a delight."

Egon found himself blushing harder when he heard the compliment from the kindly old lady. Mrs Spengler kneeled down and pulled her son into a tight but gentle hug.

"We'll be back tomorrow; I promise." She promised before breaking away and turning to her husband. "Charles, come say goodbye."

Mr Spengler finished putting his suitcase in the car before walking over to the pair. The scienst stopped in front of his son and looked at him for a second before responding. Egon watched as he held out his hand for the boy to shake.

"Behave yourself." He said unemotionally.

Egon just responded by taking the man’s hand and shaking it rather weakly. Mr Spengler simply nodded before telling his wife it was time to go. Egon watched as his parents got into the car. Mr Spengler looked back at him for a brief second before starting the car and driving off. Mrs Spengler waved goodbye from her window before disappearing around the corner. Egon found himself looking down at the ground as the breeze picked before feeling a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Mr Polanski looking at him with a kind smile under his grey beard.

"So, ya like board games, Egon?" The old man asked.

Egon just shrugged in response.

"I guess."

* * *

A couple of hours into the afternoon, the Polanski’s treated Egon to a few games of snakes and ladders, and scrabble while Buster slept on his doggy bed in the corner. Egon did not really enjoy the first game. He just found scrabble to be more stimulating for his mind. Mr Polanski sat across from his wife as he tried to think of a word he could put together with all the other words on the board.

"Hmmm... I can't seem to spell anything with these letters." He said as he scratched his head in confusion.

Mrs Polanski sighed as she looked over to Egon.

"English isn't his first language. He speaks it perfectly but he can't write it very well." She explained.

Mr Polanski just ignored her and looked back at the letters he had. Mrs Polanski and Egon could not see it, but the letters he had spelled out oxidise. He smiled brightly when he got an idea.

"Here's a good one!" He said as he took the D and put it beside a O. "Do."

Mrs Polanski quickly put an I down next to another D.

"Id. Triple points score for me!" She excitedly exclaimed.

"Hey; abbreviations aren't allowed, Abigail!" Mr Polanski spoke with a slightly aggravated tone; thinking his wife was cheating.

"No not ID, Harold. Id. It's something I heard the other day." Mrs Polanski clarified.

Egon watched as Mr Polanski raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"I've never heard of it. What's it supposed to mean?" The old man asked.

Mrs Polanski was about to get up to find a dictionary. But as if it was instinct, Egon spoke up.

"The part of the mind in which innate instinctive impulses and primary processes are manifested."

Mr and Mrs Polanski looked at Egon as he spoke the definition out loud for them to hear. The old couple gave the boy mildly surprised looks. Egon just shrugged in response.

"I read a lot of dictionaries." He spoke rather casually.

Mr Polanski just smiled and chuckled at the response.

"Maybe we won't need one of those for today; eh, Abigail." He said as he turned to Mrs Polanski.

Mrs Polanski just smiled back as she turned to the boy.

"Your turn, dear."

Egon looked down back and forth between the board and the letters he had. He had at least two D's and two E's. He saw the word 'press' on the board. The boy quickly came up with a word and put his two d and e letters down.

"Depressed."

Mr and Mrs Polanski looked at what Egon spelled out. Mrs Polanski made a rather intrigued sound while Mr Polanski just looked in confusion.

"Deee-pressed?" He repeated the word in question. "Is that when something gets crushed?"

Egon shook his head.

"It's when someone is in a state of loneliness or unhappiness." The boy began to explain. "Usually when something happens or..."

Egon had trouble continuing his definition of depressed. He blinked as the old couple gave him rather concerned or weird looks. He quickly realised he was spacing out and regained his composure.

"It's just a word though. How many points do I get?" Egon asked as he looked for the games instructions.

Mr Polanski just shook his head before turning to Mrs Polanski.

"Um, Abigail? Would you mind making some of that vanilla tea?" He asked with his head jerking towards Egon.

Mrs Polanski seemed a bit confused at first. But she quickly realised what her husband was doing and got the message.

"Of course. Don't you boys go anywhere." She said with a friendly smile as she got up and left the room.

Buster woke up and watched as Mrs Polanski walked to the kitchen with her crutches as support. Buster quickly turned to Mr Polanski as he started talking to Egon.

"Now I know when something is wrong with someone, Egon. And right now, something is obviously bothering you." The old man asked as he sat next to the boy. "So what's on your mind?"

Egon was not sure if he should talk about what he was feeling. His father never approved of him getting emotional. But then again, his father was that here at the moment. Egon take a short breath and sighed.

"Me and my father haven't been getting along as of late." He stated rather bluntly.

Mr Polanski nodded and stroked his beard in thought.

"Just how haven't you been getting along?" He asked.

Egon looked up at the old man as his brows narrowed.

"I feel like he's ashamed of me! Like he wishes I never existed!" He spoke with an elevated tone of anger and resentment in his voice. "He wants me to follow a pursuit of science and knowledge; but every time I do an experiment that results in the kitchen getting stained with baking soda and vinegar or results in the backyard getting covered with in paint or liquid foam, he just says "you're not using your mind the way you should!"

Mrs Polanski could hear the boy ranting from her spot in the kitchen; covering her mouth in mild shock as she tried to brew tea. Mr Polanski watched and listened as Egon continued.

"And he has the nerve to be bitter towards me when he comes home all tired and exhausted from work! It's like he's a different person when he goes and comes back! He wasn't even like that a few months ago."

Egon felt his voice struggling to speak and felt his eyes watering up slightly. He put his hand over his mouth as he held in any frustrated tears.

"I feel like I did something wrong, but he won't tell me." He managed to say with a sad croak. "What am I doing wrong?"

Mr Polanski shook his head as the boy buried his face in his hands as he slowly rocked back and forth. Buster watched as he made a concern whimper.

"Now Egon; You’ve done nothing wrong and I'm sure your father doesn't mean to be cold towards you." The old man tried to reassure the venting boy. "Has he said anything horrible to you?"

Egon held his arms as he tried to answer.

"No. He's just distant and cold whenever he talks to me." He explained. "But he got mad at me this morning because I boarded up my closet door."

Mr Polanski raised a brow when the boy said that he boarded up him closet. But he just brushed it off; thinking Egon probably did not want to talk about that. With a quiet sigh, he put a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder; making him look up at him.

"Let me tell you a story." He began. "When I was a young boy living in Germany, I lived with my father. He worked as a carpenter and I was his apprentice. One day, I missed out on a day of work to spend time with some friends and I didn't tell him. He was quite upset about it when he found out. We got into an argument and I said some rather hurtful things to him. We didn't talk for quite a few days."

Egon sat up properly as he listened; wondering where this story was going. Mr Polanski put his hands together as he prepared to tell the next part.

"Then the war started." He spoke with melancholy in his voice. "Word had it that the army was coming to town to recruit young men as soldiers against their will. So when my father began packing my bags, I was worried that he was so furious at me that he was going to send me off to die on a battlefield."

Egon felt his insides going cold as Mr Polanski told him the grim part of the story. The old man looked at him and shook his head.

"But that's not what happened."

Egon blinked in confusion and listened.

"He handed me my belongings and gave me a large amount of money and a passport. He told me to take a train to French and then get on a ship to America. And he told me to never come back. Not because he hated me. Because he wanted to make sure I was safe."

Egon continued to listen as Mr Polanski began to look a bit sad as he continued.

“So, I did all that and went to America during the war. When I became a proper citizen, I tried making contact with my father by mail."

Mr Polanski gave Egon an uncertain looked as he continued.

"But... I never heard back from him." He spoke in a quiet tone. "I never knew what became of him. But I assumed the worst."

Egon blinked in confusion and fear. Was his next neighbour some kind of refugee? Why was he telling him this story? Mr Polanski straightened himself out before he continued.

"Now I know what I just told you sounds grim. And you're right to think that." He clarified. "But what I'm trying to say is that fathers have a job to protect their children. My father did what he could for me, and I'm grateful for that every day. But I want you tell me something, Egon."

Egon sat up as he listened. Mr Polanski put his hand on his shoulder before asking a question.

"Can you name one time when your father did something for you? Something that seemed a bit odd at first, but then you were grateful for it later?" He asked.

Egon took a moment to think about it. Nowadays his father was not very considerate. He was a brilliant man, but he was also a bit absent minded when it came to matters of emotion and charity. Egon thought of a few things. But one thing did stand out. When he was a lot younger.

"Well..." Egon began as he turned back to Mr Polanski. "I remember when I think I was five years old; father took me to a park to look at insects and birds. But I think there was a moment where wasps started attacking us. He didn't say why, but he gave me the keys and told me to run back to the car. But on the way, I tripped and lost my glasses. I'm pretty sure I made it to the car, because I remember sitting in there and being upset. When he came back, I told him what happened. Next thing I knew, he left for a few minutes and came back with my glasses."

Egon adjusted his glasses as he remembered his father having a few sting marks on his face and arms. But he was smiling and reassuring him he was fine.

"I didn't realise until later that he was protecting me." Egon remembered the ride back home. "He seemed like a different person back then. I just don't know why he was so bright and cheery back then. But now, he always tells me to think harder then I should be doing. I am doing that with all my studying at school and I get pretty decent grades. But most of the time, he's too busy to realise what I'm doing because he's always working now."

Mr Polanski nodded as he thought of how to reply.

"Well, I can't really say for sure." The old man began. "But maybe he's just stressed. Working too hard can do that to a man. He's probably just trying to make a fair amount of money for the three of you to live on."

Egon turned away and quietly sighed.

"I wish I could believe that." He said as he fell back onto the couch before looking back at Mr Polanski. "But thanks for talking to me. It helped a little."

Mr Polanski smiled as Mrs Polanski announced that the tea was ready.

"Glad I could." He said as he got up to help his wife with the tea tray; Buster barking happily in response.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will have a flashback about those wasps.


	7. Wasps and Monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Egons remembers a time when his father was not so... distant.   
> And something terrible his way comes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italic lettering is for flashbacks

_(7 years ago)_

* * *

_Egon struggled to keep up with his tall father as they walked through the park. As they walked through and passed some trees, Mr Spengler noticed how cautious Egon was being; making rather peculiar noises as he stepped over a few loose roots. The man smiled a bit as he stopped and helped the boy walk over them._

_"It's alright; just one step at a time, Egon." He reassured and encouraged his son._

_Egon finally managed to get over the dangerously loose roots; standing on safe flat ground. Mr Spengler picked up his son and held him up. Egon took a good look around now that he had a better view of the park._

_"W-where're the bugs?" He asked with a shudder in his young voice._

_Mr Spengler gave the boy a light smile as he walked over to a nearby tree._

_"Look very closely." The father said as he pointed to a low branch with plenty of leaves on it._

_Egon stared very carefully. Upon closer inspection, he could see a little red bug with black dots on it; crawling on the green leaf before spreading its wings and flying off. Egon watched in awe before it disappeared into the top of the tree._

_"Ladybugs are quite fast despite being so little." Mr Spengler commented as he put Egon back on the ground. "Much like someone else I know."_

_Egon looked up at him with a slightly confused face as he pointed at himself. Mr Spengler let out a light laugh as he took the little boy's hand and lead him through the park._

_"So, Egon; is there anything else you want to see here besides insects?" He asked as he led his son through the grassy area._

_Egon thought about it for a moment before something came to mind._

_"Can we find any fungi to take home with us?" He asked with a rather excited tone._

_Mr Spengler raised a brow as he smiled back._

_"For your new collection, I take it?" He asked in a rather humouring tone._

_"Yes!" Egon quickly answered back; telling his father that he was not joking._

_Mr Spengler gave his son a look of question before smiling again._

_"Well." He looked around as he led the boy foreword; stopping when he saw something at the base of another tree. "I think I see something there."_

_Egon looked towards where his father was pointing. The boy had a little smile of anticipation when he spotted a small patch of little white ball shaped mushrooms. The boy let go of his father's hand and ran to get a closer look. Mr Spengler simply kept up with the boy; telling him not to run too fast. Egon got on his knees to look at the specimen of fungi. Mr Spengler just found it astonishing how his son found joy in such an add activity; but he was learning from it. If he was learning and gaining knowledge from it, then that was a good thing._

_But the smile on Mr Spengler’s face faded when he had a buzzing sound from above. The man looked up before his eyes went wide with worry._

_"Egon?" He said to get his sons attention._

_"Hm?" Egon muttered as he turned his head._

_"Don't move."_

_Egon did what his father told him. But he gave the man a rather confused face before he too heard the loud buzzing. Mr Spengler kept his eye on whatever he was looking at as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the key to the car._

_"I need you to listen very carefully." He began to instruct as he slowly bent down to his sons’ level. "When I say so, I want you to take the key and run back to the car as fast as you can and don't look back. Do you understand?"_

_Egon was not really sure why his father was saying these things; but he nodded slowly when he heard more loud buzzing. Mr Spengler had his eye on something above Egon’s head. He took a deep breath before handing Egon the key and with a sudden movement..._

_"Run!"_

_Egon quickly got up ran as Mr Spengler stood up and shielded him from what was making the loud buzzing. As Egon ran, he could hear his father making pained noises. But he did not look back. Egon thought he was in the clear when he passed a few familiar trees._

_But he found himself face down on the ground when he felt something snag onto his ankle. Egon made a pain sound as he tried to get himself back up with his eyes shut. But panic struck him when he opened them; seeing nothing but blurry shapes. Egon began crawling on the grass to find his glasses. His parents told him not to lose them and if he did, find them as soon as possible. Egon Looked for them for a good three minutes before he heard a light buzzing sound coming from behind._

_Letting out a gasp, Egon got up and ran despite his partial blindness. Egon could make out a familiar brown coloured shape coming up as he ran foreword; slowing down as he reached it and felt a hard metal exterior. No one else was at the park that day and he remembered where his father parked. He felt a handle with a lock before realising what it was. Egon reached into his pocket and took out the key; putting it in the lock and turning it. He pulled open the car door and climbed in; pulling himself onto the seat and catching his breath. Egon thought he should feel relieved; having got away from whatever was making that loud buzzing sound thanks to his father. But he was not feeling relieved at all. He had a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach as he felt his eyes begin to water. Then he was reminded of his partial blindness. Egon pulled the hood of his raincoat over his head as he thought of how mad his father was going get when he came back; feeling tears coming as he began to sob._

_"Egon?"_

_Egon flinched as he heard a familiar voice coming to the car. He refused to look up as he heard the footsteps coming closer._

_"Are you alright? The wasps didn't sting you, did they?" He asked with concern in his voice._

_Egon only responded with a held in sob._

_"What's wrong?" Mr Spengler asked._

_Egon could not hold it in any longer. He buried his face in his hands as he began to cry._

_"I-I tripped a-and lost my g-glasses!" The upset boy shuddered through his tears._

_Egon cried silently as he waited for his father to say something harsh about being irresponsible._

_"Wait here."_

_But he heard him say that calmly before he heard his father walking off. After a minute of waiting anxiously, he heard footsteps coming towards the car._

_"Egon; look at me please." Mr Spengler asked._

_Egon hesitated to look up as he still felt more tears go down his face. But he felt a soft fabric wipe them away before a blurry shape put something on his face._

_Then his sight returned._

_Egon blinked as he looked around the car; seeing things Cleary to his relief. But when he saw his father looking at him from the door, he gasped when he saw sting marks on the man’s face. Despite the pain he was probably in, he was giving Egon a reassuring smile._

_"S-stings!" Egon struggled to get the word out as he worryingly pointed at a red sting mark above his father's left eyebrow._

_"It's okay, Egon; I'm fine." Mr Spengler reassured the boy in a calm tone of voice. "What about you? Did any of the wasps sting you?"_

_Egon shivered a little at the mention of wasps. But he did not get stung, so he shook his head no. With that, Mr Spengler sighed in relief and strapped Egon in the passenger seat with his seatbelt._

_"We better go home. Your mother's going to be horrified when she sees me like this." Mr Spengler said as he got into the driver’s seat and started the car._

_As the pair drove back to their home, Egon could not take his eyes off of his father and the stings the wasps gave him. The man reassured him he was fine. But he was clearly in some level of pain when he felt them every few seconds. Egon kept thinking that he should not have ran to that tree and agitated the angry wasps. Then his father would not have had to protect him like that. Every second of thinking about it made him feel guilty. Just as the car stopped in front of the Spengler house and before Mr Spengler could turn the key, Egon spoke up._

_"I'm sorry!"_

_Mr Spengler stopped and looked at his son upon his sudden shout. He waited patiently for the boy to continue what he had to say._

_"I'm sorry for running too close to those wasps! Now you're hurt and Mommy might worry! I'm sorry!" Egon kept apologising for the wasp stings._

_Mr Spengler watched as the boy covered his face out of habit. He always did that when he was scared or embarrassed. Mr Spengler just let out a quiet sigh before reaching over and ruffling his sons already messy locks; making him look at him._

_"You don't need to say sorry for this, Egon. I was just protecting you." The father spoke with a reassuring smile to match his tone. "And you know what? I'm not worried. I've been stung or bitten by worse."_

_Egon just gave the man a questionable look._

_"Like what?" The boy asked rather curiously._

_Mr Spengler gave Egon a playful grin as he turned off the car._

_"Well, there was this dog that looked quite like a man that bit me the other day." He explained as he unstrapped Egon from the passenger seat. "I think he might have been a werewolf."_

_Egon smiled as he gave the man a look of disbelief._

_"Werewolves aren't real, dad." The boy said with a light giggle._

_Mr Spengler raised a brow as he picked up Egon and placed him on his lap._

_"Oh, don't believe me?" He spoke in a rather teasing tone of voice. "Well, maybe I should prove it to you like this!"_

_With that, Mr Spengler sent his son into a laughing and smiling fit as he pretended to bite him on the neck by blowing raspberries into it; only stopping when Egon begged him to stop through his laughter. Mr Spengler smiled when he knew he cheered up his son._

_"We should go inside now. I really need something to soothe these stings." He said as he got out of the car with his son in his arms._

_Egon simply held onto his father as he opened the front door with one hand. And sure enough, the first thing Mrs Spengler said when she saw them was "Dear lord, Charles; what happened to you!?"_

* * *

7 years now

* * *

Egon stared down at the plate of scrambled eggs in front of him. He appreciated Mrs Polanski cooking it for him. But the pepper added in made it a bit too spicy for his liking. With a figurative grain of salt, he ate his plate of spicy scrambled eggs while Mr and Polanski discussed the day and Buster ate from his bowl on the floor.

"So, I think I'll clean out the kids closet next Monday." Mr Polanski stated before eating a bit of dinner.

"You said you were going to do it last week and it's not done." Mrs Polanski said as she raised a brow.

"I was busy, Abigail."

"Sure, you were."

Egon finally finished his food before he took a large sip of water from his glass; hoping the spice would leave his mouth. Mrs Polanski looked at him before speaking.

"So, Egon; do you think you'll be okay sleeping in our sons’ old room?" The elderly lady asked. "It's a bit dusty, but it's mostly clean."

Egon finished his glass of water before replying.

"I'm sure it'll be fine. I just need to remember to close the window if it's cold out tonight." The boy stated.

"I hear there might be a bit breeze tonight." Mr Polanski replied. "You know, that reminds me of a time when-"

The phone interrupted the old man as it rung from its spot in the living room. Egon quickly got up as he said he would get it; barely hearing himself as Buster barked at the ringing phone. Egon quickly ran to the living room; silencing the phone by answering it and putting it against his ear.

"Hello?" He spoke into the communication device.

"Egon? Is that you?"

Egon heard the voice of his mother on the other side of the phone line.

"Hi, mom." Egon greeted; glad to hear his mother’s voice. "Did you and father make it to the hotel?"

"Yes; we just checked in and made it to our room. Your dad's getting ready for his presentation, so I don't have a lot of time to talk." She explained rather hastily while retaining her gently tone. "Are you settling in okay? Have you had dinner yet? Are the Polanskis' treating you well?"

Egon took a moment to answer all his mother’s questions.

"I'm doing fine, I've had dinner and yes; they're treating me well." He answered all three questions in one go.

Egon quickly thought of something else to say.

"Umm, mom... Is it okay if I talk to dad?" He asked as he played with the phone cord.

"Well, he's in the shower right now, but-"

Mrs Spengler stopped halfway through her sentence. Egon could hear someone else there.

"Oh; he just walked out. Hang on second." She said through the phone before taking it away from her ear. "Charles! Egon's on the phone and he wants-"

"Tell him we'll call tomorrow! We have to go down there now or we'll be late for the conference!"

Egon could hear his fathers’ harsh voice from the other line.

"Charles, your son is on the phone!"

"Now, Katherine!"

Egon felt his insides going cold as he heard his mother let out a displeased sigh.

"I'm sorry, Spookums. We'll call you tomorrow; I promise." Mrs Spengler apologised before saying goodbye and love you.

"...Okay. Goodbye." Egon said goodbye with a slightly sad tone in his voice.

Egon just put the phone back when he heard only dial tone. He just crossed his arms as he let out a sigh of frustration.

"Everything alright, Egon?" Mr Polanski asked from the kitchen.

Egon just looked down as Buster came over and stood beside him with his head tilted to the side. Egon could only reply with one thing.

"Fine. Just fine."

* * *

After helping Mrs Polanski clean up and wash the dishes, Egon took a much-needed shower, brushed his teeth and got into his pyjamas for bed. Mrs Polanski showed Egon to his room for the night. The bedroom was very similar to his; only empty besides having a bed made and ready with a bedpost beside it on the right with a lamp turned on. A closed window was just above the bed and much to Egons' discomfort; a closet was on the left side of the room.

"If you need anything like a glass of water, just tell me or Harold." The kind elderly lady told as Egon walked past her.

"That's fine, Mrs Polanski; thank you." Egon thanked her as he climbed into bed.

Mrs Polanski gave Egon a rather concerned look.

"Are you sure you want to go to bed now? It's only eight o clock." She asked; thinking it was not that late.

"I'm actually pretty tired. I'd rather go to bed now, thanks." Egon insisted as politely as he could.

Mrs Polanski wanted to ask if anything was wrong. But from the tone in Egons voice, he probably did not want to talk about it.

"Okay then." She respected his decision before giving the boy a warm smile. "See you in the morning."

Egon watched as Mrs Polanski closed the door. But she only closed it partially. Egon was not bothered by this. He knew Buster would not try to barge in and jump on the bed to lick him. Egon took off his glasses and put them on the bedpost to his left; laying down and getting comfortable by pulling the sheets and blankets over his body. Egon laid his head against the pillow and looked at the closet on his right side. Just looking at it gave Egon that cold unpleasant feeling in his stomach as he thought of that creature. He shook his head and turned to his other side; telling himself that he had nothing to worry about. The boogieman had no way of getting to him. The room no longer belonged to a child and Egon was only borrowing it. He did not know where Egon was and his own closet was boarded up. There was no way this closet was going to let that thing in.

Egon decided to focus on something else. He noticed that it was a bit quiet. He could hear the muffled voices of Mr and Mrs Polanski. Either the walls were not paper-thin like at his house or his neighbours were a lot quieter than his parents when they talked.

Egon started thinking about his parents and what they might be doing at the moment. Maybe the conference was just finishing and they were going back to their hotel room. Egon remembered how his father sounded when his mother called. He really wanted to talk to him about everything that has been happening. But alas, Egon could only be patient. He would just have to talk to his father tomorrow when they come home. Egon felt his eyelids grow heavy. Soon he fell asleep.

* * *

12:00

* * *

 

Meow

Egon stirred in his sleep as a familiar sound reached his sleeping ears.

Meow.

The boys’ tired eyes flattered open as heard the sound again. Egon was greeted to partial blindness and mild darkness as he looked towards where the sound was coming from. But he knew what the sound was. A cat was outside the window.

"What?..."

Egon sat himself up a bit as he tiredly reached for his glasses. But he froze when he heard a familiar chuckle.

"Thought you could hide, did you?"

Before Egon could react, a cold hand grabbed him and covered his mouth; leaving him unable to scream or call for help. Egon was unable to see clearly without his glasses, but he registered the figure that had him trapped in his cold hands. The boogieman. Egon tried to kick and squirm; struggling to get away from the intruder as he pulled the boy out of the safety of the bed. But it was no use. The boogieman had him in his grasp. The creature let out a nightmare inducing cackle as the door to the closet showed the horrific yellow light from last night. Egons’ screams were blocked as the boogieman ran into the grim light; slamming the door shut as he went through and leaving a disturbing silence in the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to leave this chapter on a cliff hanger. I'll work on the next one right away.


	8. Cats and Ghosts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Egon gets some help from an unlikely friend and discovers what would later become his lifes' work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up, anyone who is scared of anything spider related might want to skip some of the last few paragraphs.

Blurry shapes and bright lights were all Egon could see as the boogieman dragged him into the depths of the closet. The boy continued to scream out even though it was pointless. After a minute of being carried through what he thought was some kind of portal, Egon could feel the monster come to a stop. He heard an evil and raspy laugh as he felt himself being lifted by a cold pair of hands; sharp claw like nails digging into the sleeves of his pyjamas and almost into his skin. Egon could not see clearly, but the horrible and sick grin of the Boogieman was all too easy for him to see.

"Now I have you." The boogieman spoke in a raspy and demonic voice. "Did you think hiding in another house was going to stop me from finding you?"

Egon could only hyperventilate as the monster spoke to him in a grim yet playful tone. The Boogieman just gave the boy a toothy grin full of sharp teeth.

"I can smell your fear. You were never safe from me." He taunted.

Egon just responded by struggling; kicking and squirming like a cornered animal.

"Let me go! Let me Go!" He screamed and pleaded, only to be ignored.

As if he was not disturbed enough, Egon could feel the creature sniffing him and smelling him like a demented animal; wishing for it to stop. The Boogieman man just made a pleased sound as he stopped and grinned again.

"Your fear... It smells so Delectable." The creature spoke with pleasure in his voice. "I haven't had fear like this in sixty years! I'm going to enjoy getting it out of you, and I'm going to savour every bit."

Egon stared in terror as the Boogieman just laughed; giving him that horrible cold feeling in his stomach again. In a swift motion, the boogieman grabbed Egons collar and carried him somewhere else. All Egon could make out was a dim room with an uneven colour scheme on its walls. Egon struggled as the boogieman grabbed a chain and tied it around his wrist.

"I'm just going to leave you here for a bit." The large headed monster spoke with an eerie grin as he backed away. "Then we're going to have some fun."

Egon just turned pale as the creature let out another cackle as he left Egon alone and chained to the wall of the room. Egon shouted and tried to run to the door. But he was quickly reminded of his bondage when he slipped on the cold hard floor. Egon tried to pull on the chain but it was no use. The boy just began to hyperventilate as he felt his heart pounding out of confusion and fear.

"This can't be happening. This can't be happening!" He repeated as he curled up and sat against the wall. "This has to be a dream!"

Egon buried his face in his hands and slowly began sob and cry. Everything was happening too fast and it was all too much for his mind to comprehend.

"It's More like a nightmare then a dream."

Egon froze when he heard a voice. But it was not the horrid voice of the Boogieman. It was an almost comforting voice that sounded like a woman with a light English accent.

"W-who's there?" Egon stuttered out of fear of the unknown voice.

Egon got no reply.

Meow

All he heard was the familiar sound of a cat. Egon looked up from his curled up position; seeing a blurry dark grey shape. Egon stared for a second before realising that it was a cat sitting in front of him. The boy flinched as it came up to him and put something in front of him. Egon hesitantly reached for the object; gasping when he felt what it was. A pair of glasses.

Egon quickly put them on; bringing back his vision as he blinked and looked at the sickening and uncoordinated colours of the room. But when he looked down in front of him, he blinked out of confusion when he saw the cat staring back at him. Egon made a slightly fearful noise before he spoke.

"You're not some monster in disguise are you?" He asked; already feeling stupid for talking to a cat. "Or maybe you're just a figment of my mind that just appeared because of all the stress I'm feeling right now."

The cat just scratched its ear.

"No."

Egon went wide eyed when he heard the calming voice again. Coming from the cat. The cat just looked at Egon with its green eyes staring back.

"I'm not any of those things. I'm me." The cat continued as it sat down.

Egon tried to think of something to say. But he had trouble getting the words out.

"H-how are you talking?" He asked with a dumbfounded stutter. "Cats can't talk."

"I just can." The cat spoke rather bluntly. "I would like to talk in front of Daniel; but he's too much of a chatterbox."

Egon blinked as he heard that name. Daniel... Danny. Egon leaned forward a bit before nervously asking a question.

"Are... Are you Danny's cat?" He asked hesitantly. "Kitty?"

The cat just stretched and yawned before answering.

"I wish he would have thought of a better name to call me by." She spoke in a rather critical tone. "But yes. I am that same Kitty."

Egon was not sure if he should have been relieved or confused. He had some rather odd questions; anything to distract him from his stress.

"How did you get here?" He questioned.

"I followed you." Kitty simply began to explain. "I don't know if you've realised it; but I've been protecting you for the past couple of nights. Unfortunately, you moved places and closed your window. So, tough luck I suppose."

Egon knew what she was talking about. He remembered how she always seemed to be there when the boogieman came out of his closet and how she seemed to scare him off.

"The Boogieman hates cats?" Egon asked out of nowhere.

Kitty seemed to let out a light and brief laugh at the boy's question.

"I like to think of it as a game of sorts. He tries to keep me out of his little world. But he can't. I come and go as I please." The grey cat explained before giving Egon a serious look. "But we should move on to more serious matters. I'm going to help get out of here."

Egon just looked at the talking cat with a stare of sadness before he looked at the chain on his wrist.

"I can't." He said simply as he felt his eyes watering up again. "I've tried pulling as hard as I can, but it won't come off."

Kitty slowly shook her head as she came closer to the boy.

"There's something you need to understand. If you want to escape this place, you have to let go of fear." She explained.

Egon just gave her a look of confusion mixed in with his sadness before she continued.

"The Boogieman feeds on fear. It's the source of all his power; including the chain that binds you now." She continued to explain. "So here's what you must do. Close your eye. Take a deep breath and clear your thoughts."

Egon was not sure if she was telling the truth or if what she was telling him to do would even work. But as far as he knew, he had no other option besides waiting for the boogieman to come back and he did not want to be here when he did. Egon closed his eyes and sat up straight. He took a deep breath with an equally deep exhale; clearing out his mind of all thoughts until he heard only white noise. After ten seconds of this...

Egon heard the sound of light metal dropping to the hard floor. And he felt fresh air on his wrist. The boy opened his eyes and looked down in shock to see the chain just lying there with his wrist free. He stared as he felt his wrist for any scarring or possible bruising from the chain; not believing what he was seeing.

"How d-did you do this?" Egon questioned out of amazed shock.

"I didn't do anything. I just told you what you needed to do." Kitty simply answered back as walked towards the open door.

Egon watched as the cat made her way to door; beginning to question his sanity. Kitty quickly turned around and faced Egon.

"Well, are you coming or do you want to stay in this horrid place?" She asked rather sarcastically.

Egon quickly got up and went after her. As the two of them walked through the door, Egon was greeted by what he thought was an abstract painting. Only instead of a painting, it was a real place. The hallway was twisted into a long spiral of doors and at the end of it, he could see staircases that went all directions. The whole thing just made him confused and disoriented. Kitty just looked at him as she went forward.

"Come on then; that big headed child snatcher will be back any minute." She warned; making Egon follow her.

As Egon followed the talking feline, he started thinking of some things that made him nervous.

"What do we do if the Boogieman finds out I'm gone?" He asked of the worst case scenario.

"Well hopefully, he'll get my scent instead of yours and come after me. If that happens, I'll tell you to go hide and wait until I come find you. Then we'll get you out of here." Kitty explained.

Egon thought he understood. But he still had questions.

"I read some things about the Boogieman from a book I bought. But I don't understand." He said before asking another question. "What does he want with me? Why doesn't he just scare me in my room instead of bringing me here?"

Kitty let out a brief sigh as she hesitated to answer; moving forward as she did so.

"You know how he feeds on the fears of children; correct?"

Egon nodded in understanding.

"Most of the time, he preys on children who have simple fears like the dark or what's under their bed... or spiders."

Egon shivered at the mention of spiders. But he continued to listen as Kitty continued.

"But Every so often, he finds a child with more... Complicated fears. Like failure, losing loved ones, even fearing death itself in some cases. I have a feeling the Boogieman might have thought of WWI and two as an all you can eat buffet."

Egon stopped as Kitty said that last one. Kitty also stopped and looked as Egon stared at her with wide eyes.

"H-he's going to e-eat me?" He questioned with a quiver in his voice.

Kitty just looked at Egons skinny frame before answering.

"Well he wouldn't get much out of you if he could." The cat spoke with a mild insult. "And yes and no. The Boogieman doesn't eat his victims physically. He-"

Kitty stopped in mid sentence as her Beastly eyes went wide. Egon blinked in confusion as she twitched a bit.

"What's wrong?" He asked; thinking something was not right with her.

Kitty let out a low growl as her right ear twitched back and forth.

"We need to run."

Egon gasped and looked back as he heard a deafening roar in the distance; knowing he heard that sound a couple of nights ago.

"Run! Now!" Kitty shouted out as she began to away from the sound.

Egon quickly followed suit and ran after her; hearing the ghastly voice of the Boogieman from afar.

"WHERE ARE YOU, CHILD!!? I WILL FIND YOU!"

Hearing that only made Egon run faster. But a realisation hit him like a ton of bricks. Where was the way out? He saw a large number of doors as he and Kitty ran; wondering if they could hide in one of them.

"Can't we hide in one of these rooms!?" He questioned as he ran; using up a large amount of steam.

"These aren't real doors! They're portals to children's rooms! That's how he gets into their closets!" Kitty explained as she sprinted on all fours.

The pair kept running; hearing the Boogieman coming with every howl he made. Until Kitty noticed something.

"Egon! Follow me!" She instructed as she turned a corner.

Egon quickly followed her until they reached an actual open door; similar to the room the boogieman left Egon in, only darker and dirtier. Kitty entered the room with Egon following closer.

"Close the door, but left it open slightly." She instructed.

Egon was not sure why she was ordering him to do this, but he had no other options. Egon gently closed the door a little bit; leaving a slight gap open. He quickly got behind it as he looked down at the cat.

"What do we do?" He asked in slight panic.

Kitty stood up as high as she could on her front legs before speaking quietly.

"Egon. Listen to me very carefully." She began to explain. "Any second now, the Boogieman will be right outside this door and he's going to smell your fear. I need you to remain calm because I'm going to distract him and lead him away from here. When I've distracted him and out ran him, I'll come back for you and then I'm taking back to the closet he took you from. When I come back, I'll meow three times as a signal. Do you understand?"

Egon gave the cat a stare that screamed how this was a lot to take in. But he nodded; understanding what she was trying to do for him.

"Good. Now go hide in the corner behind me. I hear him coming." Kitty warned as she pointed to a corner behind her.

Egon quickly ran and sat in the corner; pulling his knees to his chest and covering his mouth to avoid any noise. But his heart beat drummed in his ear as he heard heavy breathing and footsteps coming towards the door. Kitty just got into position while Egon held his breath; afraid the monster would hear him with those giant ears of his.

"...Wwwwhhhere aaaarree yoooouuuuu?..."

Egon could hear that nightmare inducing voice right outside. His heart skipped a beat as long fingers with sharp nails appeared on the edge of the door. Egon watched with wide yes as the door slowly began to open; his short life about to flash before his eyes.

But the cat had other plans.

"REOOWWW!!"

Kitty put her plan into action and raced out the gap in the door; making a shocked sound come out of the Boogieman as she shrieked at him.

"YOU AGAIN!!?"

Egon could hear the boogieman shout with anger and annoyance. The boy heard the sound of a struggle briefly; but it disappeared into the distance. Egon just took a sigh of relief and laid his back against the wall; alone and waiting for Kitty to come back as he caught his breath.

"Shhhhh"

But a quiet shush made the boy jump and stand up. Egon could not see too well in the darkness. But he knew someone or something was there.

"W-who's there?" He questioned with a stutter; hoping he did not get a reply.

Nothing happened for a view seconds until...

"Be quiet."

"Be still."

"The sack man may be listening."

Egon heard voices coming from another corner in the room. But they did not sound evil or threatening. They sounded like scared children.

"You mean the Boogieman?" He responded to what the voices said.

Even when Egons eyes adjusted to the darkness he still had trouble seeing what was in the room. But a faint glow appeared out of the corner in the form of a sheet covering something. Egon slowly approached to see whatever was under the sheet was shivering. With slow caution, he gently pulled the sheet off and quietly gasped at what was underneath.

Three children were curled up and holding on to each other. But they did not look like regular children. They were pale white all over, faintly see through and glowing. Like...

Like ghosts

It was not just their pale complections that made them look like that. They looked at him briefly and showed their faces. They had sad expressions on with a disturbing lack of eyes; replaced with black holes in the sockets and their skin almost looked aged and mummified. One of them was a little girl in a nightdress and pigtails in her hair while the other two were slightly older identical boys in old looking clothes that matched with wild untidy hair. Egon blinked as they looked up at him with scared whimpers.

"Who are you?" The boy questioned quietly.

One of the boys began to float as he stood up; a confused and saddened look on his face as he felt his mummified face.

"Don't remember our names." His voice spoke with a quiet echo in his saddened tone. "But I remember my mama and papa."

The other two ghosts floated in front of Egon; all sharing the same expression of fear and sadness. Egon had a feeling that he knew who put them were. But he had to be sure.

"Why are you here?" He questioned in a shaker voice.

"The boogieman." The three ghost children answered in unison before talking individually.

"He came into our rooms through the closet and terrified us." The twin ghosts spoke in unison. "He fed off of our terror and fear, but he wanted more of it."

Egon watched as the little ghost girl slowly approached him with her arms out.

"So he came out one night and dragged us into his world." She spoke in a light polish accent as she continued to approach. "Where he kept us there, and fed on our fear until there was nothing left."

Egon gasped as the ghost girl went through him; making his entire body freeze and shiver in a low temperature for five whole seconds. He could feel the cold lingering as he rubbed his arms. He turned to see the ghost girl putting her hands on her face like she was crying.

"I never saw my brother again. He was very sick when the boogieman took me away." She remembered her last moments vaguely. "I don't know if he's okay."

Egon watched as the twin ghosts comforted the little crying ghost girl.

"He took us because we feared greater things then the dark." One twin clarified.

"He's going to do the same to you." The other twin added.

Egon just went pale at the thought of being turned into a sad ghost with nowhere to go. He meant no offence to the three in front of him; but he could not stand for it. He shook his head in resistance.

"...No." Egon muttered before repeating himself. "No. No, no. NO!"

The ghost children flinched as Egon let out a shout. They stared as he continued.

"He can't keep me here! Not if he wants to win my life!" Egon spoke in retaliation before calming himself. "I only have one chance. I can't waste it."

The ghost children gave each other uncertain looks before looking back at Egon.

"Perhaps if you can escape..." the little ghost struggled to speak her mind. "...If you do escape, could you find our souls?"

Egon gave the three ghosts looks of concern as he loosened up.

"Your souls?"

"Yes. The boogieman took them after he finished with us and he hid them." One twin explained as he felt his left eye socket.

"Find our souls, sir; and then we'll be free." The other twin finished his brothers words.

Egon blinked as he looked down at the floor. His mind started racing as he tried to think. Real ghosts were in front of him and they were asking him to help them. But he kept thinking that if he stayed here any longer, he would meet the same fate as them. Egon looked up as his mouth struggled to form words.

"...I-"

But the ghosts gasped and turned as they heard something coming towards the room. In a flash, they disappeared into the dense air; leaving Egon alone. Egon swallowed a mouthful of nervous spit as he thought of what it was.

"Meow"

Egon blinked as he heard the sound of a cat; sighing as it repeated two more times. Egon quietly approached the door and opened it slightly to see Kitty sitting licking her paws and grooming her ears.

"Sorry if I took too long. But I managed to lose him for a bit." She explained as she stood up and turned around. "Lets go."

Egon followed the talking feline as she lead him through the outlandish demission; feeling like he was in a Salvador Dali art piece or a Picasso painting. He was not really interested in the arts. But he knew of the works because of his school and art teacher. Egon looked down at Kitty as she continued to walk; mentally preparing what he was going to say next.

"I need to tell you something." He started as he fiddled with his sleeve.

"Well say it quickly. When we get back to the human world, I won't be able to talk to you again." She advised and waited for Egon to speak.

Egon took a breath before he spoke.

"A group of dead children appeared in front of me. They were the Boogieman’s last few victims and they... they want me to free them."

Kitty just slowly came to a stop and looked up at the boy with a concerned look in her eyes.

"Did you say dead children?" She asked.

Egon blinked at the sudden question.

"Yes." He answered in hesitation.

Kitty gasped before she continued to ask questions.

"Please tell me! Was one of a little-"

"I KNOW YOU'RE HERE!!"

Egon flinched as he heard the horrific voice of the Boogieman coming their way while Kitty growled in anger.

"FOLLOW ME!" She said as she ran forword.

Egon quickly ran after her; managing to keep up with the feline as she spotted something ahead of them.

"We're almost there! Keep going!" She encouraged the boy.

Egon took heavy breaths as he ran. But a smile of hope appeared on his face as he spotted an open door with a familiar tunnel inside. The pair ran faster as they reached the entrance and into the long tunnel.

"Yes! So close!" Egon thought as he reached towards salvation.

But his hopes dashed as he felt something cold wrap around his ankle; his smile of hope turning into shock and fear as he fell to the floor with a shriek. Kitty quickly stopped and turned; her eyes widening when she saw what made Egon fall and scream.

Egon struggled and screamed to get free as the Boogieman dragged him on the floor with a sinister laugh. Kitty growled before charging back through the tunnel at full speed.

"LET HIM GO, YOU BEAST!" She shouted as she bared her claws.

The boogieman looked at her with a grimace accompanied by a deep snarl.

"Ugly pest!" The large heard creature insulted the feline before raising his hand and slapping her. Egon watched in horror as Kitty hit the wall of the tunnel; not even flinching as she hit the floor with a thump.

"NO!" Egon tried to reach for the unconscious cat.

But the Boogieman just kept a grip on him as he continued to laugh. Egon struggled as the creature turned him around and pinned him to the floor like a wounded animal. Egon felt his insides turning cold as the Boogieman stared down at him with those monstrous yellow and red eyes; using one hand to hold him down.

"You shouldn't have tried to run, child." The Boogieman said as he put one hand under his coat.

Egon stared with wide eyes as the monsters’ sickening grin grew wider; showing the gums of his sharp and yellow teeth.

"I suppose I'll just have to keep you from moving at all." He mused as he took his hand out from his coat.

Egon looked with wide eyes as the boogieman had some white string-like material in his hand; making an uncomfortable sound as the creature put some of it on Egons arms and across his chest. Egon tried to pull and push it off, but it was sticky and stiff. But an unsettling realisation kicked in and his eyes went wide with terror as he recognised the substance. Spiders webbing.

Egon tried to get up and run, but the boogieman kept him pinned down as he made more of the wedding; wrapping it around Egon as he struggled.

"SOMEONE HELP! PLEASE HELP-"

Egon could no longer shout for help as the boogieman put some webbing across his mouth; making him silent except for a few muffled screams. The boogieman could only sadistically laugh and chuckle as he picked up the boy from the floor; continuing to wrap him in the wedding until he was covered from top to bottom. Egon could no longer move or see because of the webbing; panicking as he struggled to breath. The boogieman picked up the web sack with his victim inside as he laughed in triumph and held it up to see.

"My best work yet." He boasted vainly.

"YOU LEAVE THAT KID ALONE YOU BULLY!"

The smile on the Boogiemans’ face turned into a look of confusion when he heard a new voice coming from behind the wrapped up child. He lowered his work down only to see something coming towards him; until he was met with vicious barking.

The boogieman let out a grunt as a large st.bernard dog jumped on him and knocked him down; making him drop Egon on the floor. The noise made Kitty slowly awake from her unconsciousness. The cat blinked as she saw the dog attacking the creature; her vision clearing and her eyes widening when she recognised the canine.

"Buster?" She questioned; wondering how he got here.

"Help Egon! Here's in that sticky thing!" Buster called out as he continued to fight the Boogieman.

Kitty looked and gasped when she saw the webbing cocoon. She quickly rush over; bringing out her claws and digging into the webbing. The rip she made gave Egon a way to breath as he gasped for air. Kitty continued to claw into the webbing until Egon could rip some of it off himself and climb out. The boy hyperventilated as he struggled for air; feeling like his lungs were going to shrivel from the lack of oxygen. He looked down as Kitty directed him to the door.

"Now is your chance! Go!" She ordered.

Egon was about to run for it when he heard the distressed yelp of a dog. He watched as Buster flew over his head into the bedroom; thankfully landing on the bed. But that horrible cold feeling shank in again as he heard heavy and raspy breathing coming from the Boogieman.

"No you don't!" The creature threatened as he leapt forward.

With a snarl, Kitty launched herself at the Boogieman; clawing his face as she landed on him and making him shout in pain. Egon took the chance and ran to the safe haven of the bedroom. But he could not close the door. He had to wait for Kitty.

He did not have to wait long. The Boogieman managed to pull the cat off and threw her through the doorway; landing on the bed like Buster did. With a nightmare inducing shriek, the Boogieman charged towards the door with his eyes on Egon. Egon quickly reacted by slamming the door shut; leaning on it and using his weight to it keep it closed. But the boogieman slammed so hard into the door that it opened very slightly; turning into a reverse tug of war. Egon pushed as hard as his young and weak muscles would allow. But the Boogieman was close to overpowering him much to his horror.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME! GO AWAY!" He shouted out; tears of fear and frustration forming as he struggled to push.

But suddenly, the monster on the other side of the door was not pushing back as hard. Egon looked down to see Buster pushing against it; trying help keep the Boogieman out. Kitty quickly joined in and pushed with all her body weight and strength despite her pain. The boogieman let out an angered growl when he realised he was losing the fight.

"I'll get you soon, Egon! I’m counting on it!" He spoke with pure malice in his voice.

With one final push, Egon had one thing to say.

"GET OUT!" He screamed so hard his throat began to ache.

Egon and the two animals finally pushed the door closed; closing the way to the Boogiemans’ world and sealing him up for the time being. When he felt nothing on the other side, Egon took a step back; shaking as he looked at the closet with shocked eyes. Kitty looked up at him until her ears perked up.

"Egon?"

Egon was still frozen when he heard the sound of Mrs Polanski sweet and gentle voice coming his way. Kitty took the opportunity to dash under the bed and hide; fearing how the old couple would react if they saw a strange cat in their house. Egon slowly dropped to his knees as Mr Polanski opened the door; showing himself in his night clothes and slippers. Mrs Polanski was beside him; looking at the boy in concern over his blank yet shocked expression.

"Egon, what's wrong? We heard you screaming and shouting." Mr Polanski asked in a worried and concerned tone of voice.

Egon opened and closed his mouth as he tried to speak. But the more he tried, his eyes began to water and his whole body was shaking. All he could do was grab onto Buster; bursting into tears as he cried out in horror of what he just went through and continuing even as Mr and Polanski comforted and reassured him.


	9. Another Target

Mr Spengler stared up at the ceiling despite the darkness of the room. He was not sure exactly how long how was doing it. He could not look at the time on the clock because it was too dark to see; but he knew he had been doing it for quite a while. The restless man turned onto his side rather roughly; shaking the bed a bit before burying his face in his hands. He did not realize that he unintentionally woke up his wife as she stirred awake and tiredly turned to him.

"Charles, go back to sleep please." She requested with a light yawn.

Mr Spengler just let out a frustrated sigh that was muffled by his hands.

"I can't." He grunted as he sat up and turned on the lamp on the bedside post.

Mrs Spengler squinted as the hotel room suddenly filled with dim yet still blinding light. She reached for her glasses on her bedside post and put them on.

"Why not?" She questioned; thinking he was fine after he gave his presentation earlier that evening. "Aren't you happy you don't have to work on that project anymore? You were constantly pissed off about it."

Mr Spengler slowly took his hands away from his face as he looked at his wife. Somehow, she had a look that boarder lined on concern and annoyance. He reached over his nightstand again and picked up his glasses.

"Am I a terrible father, Katherine?"

Mrs Spengler gave her husband a questioning look as she sat up properly; figuring out how to answer back.

"What do you mean?" She asked; unsure of how to answer the question.

Mr Spengler looked down as he played with his sleeves as he sighed briefly.

"I had a talk with Egon on our way back from the tailor this morning." He began to explain. "About what he did to his closet. You know how he said a monster came out of it?"

Mrs Spengler nodded in response.

"I told him that maybe he wasn't getting enough sleep or he just needed to focus his mind on something else." He continued to remember that conversation. "But... but then he started saying that the reason he's sleep deprived is because I rant and rave about my day at you and sometimes I snap at him because I hate my job."

He turned his head to look at his wife before asking again.

"So... am I a terrible father?"

Mrs Spengler blinked and looked down as she tried to think of a way to answer while being honest.

"Well you are a bit harsh towards him sometimes." She answered as honestly as she could while crossing her arms. "Like how he accidentally covered the backyard with foam and you got mad at him."

"He didn't ask if he could do it first." Mr Spengler remembered how Egon did not ask for permission on his experiment before he conducted it.

"Still; you didn't have to yell and make him feel bad! He's a curious boy! He just wanted to see what would happen!"

Mr Spengler backed away a bit as Mrs Spengler stared him down as she raised her voice at him. She back away and turned the other way.

"I remember a time when you encouraged him to do things like that. Safely of course." She spoke in a slightly displeased tone. "Like how you always gave him chemistry sets instead of letting him have toys."

"I briefly reconsidered that after he burned down the garage." Mr Spengler remembered that one incident.

"It was an accident and you know it. He apologised at least fifty times for it."

Mr Spengler tried to get her to turn around and look at him; knowing she always did this when she was mad at him.

"I was just worried that he could've been hurt." He tried to clarify.

"Yeah, you made that pretty clear when you yelled at him for being irresponsible." Mrs Spengler remembered how he acted after he saw the burned down garage. "He was only ten when that happened. And he was responsible enough to call the fire department."

"He should've known better!"

"Oh stop it, Charles!"

Mr Spengler flinched as Mrs Spengler raised her voice at him again; hoping no one else in the hotel heard her. She gave him a rather frightening stare before calming down a bit.

"You need to stop treating him like his a miniature version of you." She said in a demanding yet concerned tone. "He doesn't need to be forced to think like an adult when he's still a child. He’s almost twelve for gods’ sakes! Didn't you say when he was born that you were going to better then your father?"

Mr Spengler blinked and stared into space as he remembered that day. He remembered as he held his newborn son in arms; thinking he was since a tiny and fragile little thing. He remembered how he said to him that he was going to make sure he could have the best outcome in life; even though the baby could not understand him.

Mr Spengler did not realise it. But his eyes were tearing up as his fists clenched. He quickly took off his glasses and covered his face. Mrs Spengler’s hard look softened as she heard the man make muffled sobs.

"Charles; what's the matter?" She asked with a gentle and concerned voice.

"I'm a failure, Katherine." Mr Spengler degraded himself through his sobs. "I'm a successful medical scientist with a steady paying job, but I fail at being a good husband and I'm a shitty excuse for a father!"

Mrs Spengler covered her mouth for a second as she heard her husband swear for the first time in years. Mr Spengler continued to vent; a couple of years of bottling emotions up getting to him and taking a toll. Mrs Spengler sighed as she put her arms around him and let him rest his head on her shoulder; knowing how to handle these kinds of things.

"Maybe we should take that vacation we talked about a while back." She suggested as she gently rocked him. "I think you definitely need it."

The husband and wife were silent for a few minutes before Mr Spengler spoke up.

"I'm sorry I didn't talk to Egon when you called him." He apologised for his behaviour earlier that day as he let his wife go. "I was just nervous about the presentation and I didn't know if Dr Hudson was going to approve of the project and-"

Mrs Spengler put her index finger over the man’s lips before giving him a knowing yet strangely cheeky grin.

"Ya know, Charles; you act all serious and no nonsense. But I know the real you."

She sat up on her knees and gave her husband a gentle peak on the forehead before grinning at him.

"And you're a loveable softy."

Mr Spengler looked away as his cheeks turned bright pink. Mrs Spengler just giggled at the sight.

"C'mon; you're a softy, Charlie." She teased him as he tried to hide his reddened cheeks.

"No one ever calls me Charlie." He said as he tried to hide an incoming smile.

The couple just began to fool around; gently tossed pillows at each other. For the first time in a while, Mr Spengler was actually enjoying himself.

*Creak...*

But a loud creaking sound made him stop in place. He looked around as he tried to figure out where it came from.

"Katherine, did you hear that?" He questioned.

"Hear what?" She asked back as she cuddled up next to him.

But Mr Spengler quickly got up out of the bed and looked around the room.

"I heard some creaking." He explained as he listened.

*Creak...*

Mrs Spengler looked around as she heard it too.

"See?" Her husband pointed out.

The scientist looked around until he noticed something strange. The closet in the corner was open slightly. He walked over and looked; swearing that it was closed when he went to bed. Mrs Spengler watched as her husband opened it and looked inside; as if he thought something was in there. The man just shrugged as he stepped back.

"Maybe I'm just hearing things." He said as he began to close it.

Mrs Spengler was about to lay back down when Mr Spengler grunted slightly. The man suddenly had trouble getting the closet door to close. But his eyes whet wide when he saw a set of long fingers on the edge of the door accompanied by a grim chuckle that made Mrs Spengler sit back up.

"Charles, what're you doing-"

But the woman was cut off as a cold blue skinned hand grabbed her. And she and her husband were blinded by a bright light coming from the closet as they both heard a deep and demonic sounding cackle.


	10. No News is Bad News

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a semi cliffhanger. I'm working on the next one, but with Christmas coming up I'm going to very busy.

Egon got no sleep whatsoever last night. After that horrible encounter with that giant headed creature, he panicked nonstop and broke down every time he tried to tell Mr and Mrs Polanski. The old couple did not know what he went through and just assumed he had a very severe nightmare. Egon was too afraid to sleep in the bedroom and just lied wide awake on the couch in the living room.

Mr Polanski walked into the living room with Buster by his side and a glass of orange juice just as Egon decided to get up that morning. The old man looked at the boy with a look of worry as the he rubbed his tired eyes and put on his glasses. Egon’s eyes were red from lack of sleep and he had dark bags under them. His skin was a bit paler then it normally was, and his movements were slow and jerky. Mr Polanski sighed and shook his head in pity.

"Don't feel better?" He asked as he walked over to the couch.

Egon just slowly shook his head; feeling like if he moved too much, he would get sick. Mr Polanski nodded in response before giving him a reassuring look.

"Here. It's fresh." He said as he held the orange juice in front of the boy.

Egon slowly took the glass as his hand shook a little. But it quickly became steady as he took a sip. Mr Polanski took a seat next to him and folded his arms loosely.

"I used to have pretty scary dreams when I was young."

Egon looked up as the old man talked to him with a voice of reassurance.

"They started when I was on the ship to America, but they got worse when I got here. I suppose all the stress and anxiety of fleeing my home was getting to me. I usually dreamt of some monster chasing me with a sword and a shotgun; shouting gibberish as it chased after me."

Mr Polanski did not really that what Egon went through last night was not a dream. It was real. Real enough to leave mental scaring. But he knew that Mr Polanski was only trying to help him. Egon looked down at his half full glass of orange juice.

"A monster came out of the closet and dragged me in." Egon told the man what happened; knowing he would think it was a nightmare. "That's why I didn't want to sleep in the bedroom. I'm afraid that it'll come out of the closet again and snatch me. I got away the first time, but I'm afraid next I might not be so lucky."

Mr Polanski nodded in understanding before reaching into one of pockets.

"My dreams did get that bad at one point." The elderly man confessed in an almost saddened tone before brightening up. "But I found a way to make them stop."

Egon watched as Mr Polanski pulled something out of his pocket and showed it to Egon. Egon blinked as he looked at a gold ring tied to a string dangling in front of him before Mr Polanski talked again.

"This was something I found in the bushes when I was just a boy. It's one of the things I made sure that I took with me. After my nightmares started, I held onto it before I went to bed, and I would say to myself, 'They can't get to me. They are not real, so they can't hurt me.' I would repeat it to myself until I fell asleep. And you what?"

Egon blinked as Mr Polanski gently smiled at him.

"It worked." The elderly man spoke with subtle confidence. "They stopped and never came back. Because I told myself that the bad dreams were just dreams. I know you and your parents don't believe in things like that. But it helped me."

Egon watched in confusion as Mr Polanski held the ring in front of him. Egon shook his head when he realised what Mr Polanski was doing.

"I'm sorry, sir; I can't." He politely declined the offer. "I can't take something that doesn't belong to me."

Mr Polanski shook his head as he gently grabbed the boy's hand.

"Egon; I insist." He said as he put the ring in Egons’ hand and closed it with his fingers. "I'm old; I don't how long I have left, and I won't take no for an answer. This ring did very good things for me and I'm certain it will do good things for you."

Buster let out a soft bark in agreement with his owner. Egon made an uncertain sound as he looked at his closed hand with the ring inside. But he nodded anyway; hoping Mr Polanski would think he understood.

"Harold! Egon! Buster! I just made breakfast! Come get it while it's hot!"

The trio heard Mrs Polanski calling out from the kitchen; letting them know breakfast was ready. Mr Polanski stood up as he babbled about how hungry he was and walked into the kitchen. Egon was about to follow him. But he stopped as he noticed Buster following the old man. The St. Bernard had a limp in his right hind leg as he walked; occasionally letting out a quiet whimper as he did so. Egon felt his stomach churn as he remembered what the dog did for him last night; guilty thoughts flooding his mind as he walked into the kitchen for breakfast.

\----------

Egon felt a little better after having some light and fluffy pancakes with syrup and fruit. After helping Mrs Polanski with the dishes, he got dressed for the day and decided to try and keep himself occupied with puzzles and brain training activities. Mr Polanski had some crossword puzzles that he had but never used them; so Egon spent some time doing that. The boy genius finished three out of twenty crosswords before realising something.

His parents have not called.

Egon remembered yesterday; Mrs Spengler said they were going to call. Egon tried not to think about it; back the lack of ringing from the telephone was becoming unnerving for him. With a worried sigh, Egon put the puzzles aside and went outside to the backyard; finding Mr Polanski helping his wife bring in some washing. Egon found it rather astounding how she was still able to do chores like that with her leg in a cast. But she had her husband to help, so that was reassuring. The sky above was turning grey with clouds; but Mr Polanski insisted that there would be no rain. Mrs Polanski wanted to get the washing quickly in case he was wrong. Egon walked up to the old couple.

"Pardon me?"

Mr and Mrs Polanski looked back to see Egon standing there with his hands folded over his front with a worried look on his face.

"Something wrong, Egon?" Mr Polanski asked; knowing the expression on his face and what emotion it was.

"My parents haven't called since yesterday and I'm getting worried." He spoke calmly even though he was panicking on the inside. "I feel like they should have left the hotel by now, but mom would have called to tell me and... and..."

Egon found himself unable to form anymore words. He covered his mouth as he blinked in confusion before Mrs Polanski tried to reassure him.

"Now, Egon; worrying isn't good for someone as young as yourself." She gave him a bit of advice.

"I'm sure your parents didn't forget. Maybe the phone line at the hotel isn't working." Mr Polanski suggested.

"For all we now they could be on their way home now."

Egon wanted to believe the old couple and their reassuring words. But he had that cold feeling in his stomach that told himself otherwise. Egon was about to reply when he heard Buster barking at the fence leading to the front.

"Woah! Nice doggie!"

But Egon blinked as he heard a very familiar voice. Not the terrifying voice of the boogieman; but the voice of someone he met not too long ago. Mr Polanski walked around the corner and looked over the gate and fence to see who was there.

"While hello there, young man. Don't worry about Buster here; he probably thinks you're here to play with him." The old man started talking to the owner of the voice.

Egon walked over to see who was there as they started talking again.

"Actually, I was wondering if you knew where I could find somebody. I'm looking for this kid I know. I think he might live around here."

Egon came around the corner and gasped quietly when he saw a familiar face.

Danny was just behind the waist high fence as he asked Mr Polanski a question.

"Do you know a kid named Egon Spengler? I think we go to the same school and-"

Danny stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Egon coming over to the fence.

"Hey, Egon!" The boy in the baseball cap waved and smiled at the boy genius.

"Is he a friend of yours, Egon?" Mr Polanski asked curiously.

Egon gave the boy a bewildered look as he tried to think of a reply.

"I... I suppose." He was unsure if someone he only met a few days ago could be considered a friend.

"I threw a ball at him by accident while he was collecting mushrooms." Danny said with a short explanation.

Mr Polanski chuckled a bit after hearing that.

"Well, I'm sure you two get along quite swimmingly." He spoke as he gave Buster a pat on the head.

"Harold! Could you help me with the sheets, please!?"

The old man and the two boys heard Mrs Polanski call out from the backyard. The old man shook his head; wishing she would not yell so loudly.

"I'll just leave Buster here with you two. You can come in if you like, Danny." Mr Polanski said before walking away.

Egon hesitantly opened the gate and let Danny through. Right as he came in, Buster jumped on him and barked happily to greet the visitor.

"Hi, Buster! How are you?" Danny asked; even though he would not get a proper answer.

Danny turned to Egon with a smile on his face.

"He's a good boy, huh?" He said as he scratched the St. Bernard behind the ear.

"What are you doing here? I mean, I'm not upset that you're here; but why?" Egon asked; knowing he did not tell Danny where he was.

Danny gave Buster one more pat before turning to Egon.

"Okay. Don't think I'm crazy or anything, cause what I'm gonna say might sound weird." The visitor warned before he continued. "Kitty kept bugging me this morning. Ya know; she kept nudging at me and pulling on my socks."

Egon recalled how Kitty just disappeared after escaping and fending off the boogieman. But he was glad she was at least safe. Egon crossed his arms and listened as Danny continued to explain.

"She tried to pull me out the front door after breakfast. When I noticed it, I just decided to follow her. That's when she went to the park and sniffed some mushrooms near the well I showed you the other day. I even said your name out loud at one point and she meowed at me when I said it. So... Maybe she wanted me to come look for you."

Egon blinked as Danny finished his explanation. Kitty must have been trying to tell him something. Of course, she was not able to talk to him; like she explained last night.

"Is she with you?" Egon asked; looking around as he did so.

"Ummmmm..." Danny muttered as he too looked around. "She was with me a minute ago. She must've wondered off. She always does that. It's actually kinda funny-"

Danny was cut off mid-sentence as Egon grabbed him by his hand; forcefully taking him to the front yard of the house. Buster tilted his head a bit before following the two boys. Egon stopped at the front door before letting go of Danny; letting him rub his slightly sore hand before staring at him with a grim and serious face.

"I have something important to tell you." Egon said as he grabbed Danny's shoulders. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone or think I'm lying to you. Do you understand?"

Danny gave Egon a look of worry and weirded out confusion as he nodded. Egon looked around to make sure no one was listening with the exception of Buster before talking.

"Remember the other day how you told me that a monster took your grandfathers sister?" He asked for a start.

"...Yeah?" Danny replied hesitantly.

Egon took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Everything he told you is true."

Danny gave Egon a confused look as his eyebrow went up. Egon let go of him so he could stand properly.

"What're you talking about?" He asked with mild disbelief. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"It's not a joke." Egon spoke rather defensively. "This... This hideous creature dragged me into the closet last night. But it was some kind of portal to a horrible nightmare world. He threw me into a dungeon; saying he was going to eat all my fear and suck out my soul. Just like he did with three other kids."

Danny still had wide eyes on Egon; but they seemed more convinced and worried.

"You saw dead kids?!" He questioned rather loudly; more shocked about deceased children then an alternate dimension.

Egon was unsure how to continue answering. But he needed to get it off his chest.

"They were ghosts." The boy genius admitted as he sat down on the front step. "They said if I stayed there any longer, I would end up like them. But..."

Danny took a seat next to Egon and listened intently as he waited for him to continue.

"But what?" He asked.

Egon swallowed a mouthful of nervous spit before continuing his story.

"They want me to help them by setting them free." Egon spoke rather vaguely; looking at the ground as the cold feeling crept into his stomach. "They said they wanted me to find their souls and take them so they could escape."

Egon clenched his fists as he tried to get his words out without panicking.

"I-I wait to help them, but... But... I can't go back there!"

Danny took himself back as Egon suddenly raised his voice. But his concern grew as the other boy began to hyperventilate.

"It was a living nightmare in there! I'd rather get stuck in a room with a tarantula then be in that hellhole again!"

Egon got his breathing sorted as he buried his face in his hands and leaned forward; trying and failing to hide his fear and anxiety. Danny just turned and looked forward as a car went past. The pair were silent for a minute before Danny spoke up.

"You sound pretty scared." He said rather bluntly. "There's no way you're lying."

Egon looked up as Danny dug into his pocket and pulled out a twinkie in its wrapper. Danny held it in front of Egon; gesturing him to take it. Egon quickly took the confectionery; remembering the sweet taste and the sensation it gave him when he tried it the other day. Danny watched as Egon quickly tore away the wrapper and took a bite out of the treat; still having a scared expression on his face.

"Now that I think about; my grandpa always gets really sad on his birthday." Danny remembered as he looked forward. "Now I know why."

Egon ate the last bit of the twinkie as Danny dug through his pocket again. This time, he did not take out a twinkie. He took out a small object. It look like a piece of wood; but it had a polished and fine texture. But Egons’ eyes went wide when a blade suddenly popped out of the top.

"Is that a knife?! Why do you have a Knife!?" Egon questioned as he backed up; thinking Danny was going to do something with it.

"Hey, it's okay; I'm not in a gang or anything." Danny clarified; trying to calm Egon down and explain. "This is just something my cousin gave me after I almost got mugged one time. I've never had to use it, but I carry it around just in case."

Egon still looked a bit freaked out because of the knife. But Danny softened his expression as he put the blade back into the handle; holding it in his hand.

"If this thing that came out of the closet tries to get you again, you'll need it more than I do." He said as he handed the weapon to Egon.

Egon just blinked before giving Danny a look of uncertainty. Danny just urged Egon to take it. Egon hesitated slightly as he grabbed the knife with its currently unstrung blade; thinking his father would kill him if he saw him with it.

"I really shouldn't be taking it." Egon thought too many people were giving him things today. "If the monster catches me again, I might not be coming back."

Danny just shrugged in a shaky response.

"Well if he does catch you, tell him he should be scared of you; not the other way around." He requested with a stabbing motion towards thin air.

Egon blinked as he gave Danny a weirded-out stare. Egon was about to say something else; but a faint clap of thunder made the boys look up. Danny put his hand out; feeling light and slow drops of rain.

"Damn. Sorry Egon, I gotta go home or I'm gonna get soaked." Danny said before getting up and preparing to run home. "Good luck fighting the monster!"

Just as Danny was about to run, Egon stopped him.

"Wait!"

Danny quickly turned back and asked what Egon wanted. Egon looked down before answering back.

"If you see Kitty, tell her I said thank you." He requested vaguely.

Danny blinked with confusion before nodding slowly; unsure why Egon said something so random.

"I'll do that... okay, bye!" Danny began to run as he felt the steady raindrops getting heavy.

Egon watched the boy leave; still sitting on the steps as the rain grew heavier by the minute. After a few minutes, Egon decided to go back inside as the wide blew the rain his way. Egon went back to his crossword puzzles; trying and failing to keep his mind off the one thing that was making him anxious. It was already well into the afternoon; on the verge of the evening. His parents still had not called.

\--------

Mrs Polanski stared in question as her husband and Egon lifted the mattress from the boy's room through the hallway and into the living room; letting it fall to the floor with a light thump.

"Don't you think this is a bit excessive, dear?" She asked; thinking Egon might be overreacting about last night.

"I appreciate your concern, Mrs Polanski; but I feel much safer in here than in there." Egon said as he put the underlay and sheets on the mattress.

"It's just for tonight, Abigail." Mr Polanski reassured his wife. "He's still a bit shaken from that dream he had. He just needs to be away from the closet."

Mrs Polanski let out a worried sigh as she watched Egon set the blanket down and moved the pillow. But she had to respect the boy's choice for tonight; even if it was a bit strange.

"I'll just get you a glass of water, Egon; then I'll wish you goodnight." She said as she went to the kitchen.

Mr Polanski watched as Egon set the pillow down and lightly punched it to fluff it up. The old man sighed with mild worry.

"Are you sure you really want to sleep like this tonight, Egon?" He asked. "Buster might try to come in and bother you."

"I'm actually fine with that. He seems like a good dog." Egon insisted as he crawled into the sheets and sat down.

Mr Polanski just nodded in slight agreement. Buster was a good dog. Mrs Polanski walked in with a glass of water in one hand as she used one crutch to walk; managing not to spill a drop.

"Here you go. Drink up." She offered as she held the glass down for Egon to reach.

Egon thanked her as he took the glass and drank the water quickly; giving it back when he finished. Mr Polanski gave the boy a worried at how fast he drank; thinking it was a bit unhealthy for him.

"Don't worry too much about your parents, Egon." Mr Polanski said as he bent down to the boy's level. "I'm sure they're fine."

"They might have not been able to get to a phone or maybe their car had a breakdown and their staying in the hotel for a bit longer." Mrs Polanski spoke with reassurance.

Egon could not think of a way to reply. He could only look down as he thought of what his parents were doing at the moment. He flinched as he felt Mr Polanski ruffling up his hair; as if to try and cheer him up.

"Sleep well. We'll see you in the morning." Mrs Polanski said, and she and her husband went to their bedroom to sleep; turning off the Livingroom light for Egon.

Egon watched as the light went out; leaving only the darkness and the sound of rain pouring outside. Egon just stared as Buster came in through the open hallway; only just visible to Egon as his eyes adjusted to the dark. The boy blinked as the dog came up to him; still limping a bit.

"Good to see you again." He reached out and gave the dog a pat.

Egon smiled a bit as Buster rubbed his head against Egon’s sleeve. But the smile was quickly gone as he recalled last night’s events and how Buster got tossed; properly resulting in the limp.

"I... I want to thank you for what you did for me last night." Egon said quietly as he looked down. "If you and Kitty didn't come and save me from... that... the boogieman, I don't know what would've happened to me."

Slowly and carefully, Egon wrapped his arms around the canine and hugged him; finding comfort in Busters almost soft and warm fur.

"So, thank you."

Egon could feel Buster nudging against him; trying to hug back if a dog could. Egon held onto the St. Bernard for a couple of minutes before letting him go; falling onto his back and pulling the blankets and sheets over his frame. Buster set himself at the foot of the makeshift bed to give Egon some company for the night. Egon took off his glasses and set them beside his pillow. But as he settled in, he listened to the rain outside. It made him think of where his parents were. If they were fine or if they might be hurt.

....

Maybe his father did not want to see him.

Egon did not realise that he was tearing up at the thought. He just closed his eyes as he felt hot tears coming out and soak the pillow.

\-------

Egon twitched in his sleep as he felt something lightly tap him on the nose. He remained asleep, but he awoke as he felt it a second time. He slowly woke up to partial blindness as well as mild darkness. But he could just make out a blurry shape sitting in front of him. He assumed it might have been Buster. But it was smaller than the still sleeping and snoring dog and it was purring. Egon sat up and reached for his glasses; blinking as his sight returned to him. He blinked in surprise when he saw a familiar grey cat staring at him with beastly yet non-threatening eyes.

"Oh... It's you." Egon recognised the feline as the one that saved him last night. "How did you get in here?"

Kitty could only blink as she could not answer the question. Not in this world any way. Egon knew she could not say anything here. But he really wanted someone to talk to.

"Thanks for helping me last night. I'd be dead if it wasn't for you and Buster." Egon thanked Kitty for her help before going into a quiet chat with her. "I guess you might have been confused to see me here instead of home. My mother and father are out of town, so I have to stay here. They said they were coming back this morning, but they haven't called or anything."

Kitty just blinked as Egon looked down and brought his knees to his chest. Egon took a breath as he looked at the cat; holding the ring Mr Polanski gave him in his hand.

"I don't suppose you would know where they are?" He asked with rather depressed sarcasm; knowing Kitty would probably not know about them or their whereabouts.

But Egon would a bit wide eyed when Kitty looked as if she was nodding at him. Egon properly sat up and looked at her with question.

"You do? You know where they are?" He questioned; wanting to be sure. "Where? Please, tell me."

Kitty just blinked before moving away from Egon and the sleeping Buster. Egon turned around to see Kitty pointing at the front door. Egon realised that she wanted him to go outside with her. Egon quickly but quietly stood up; getting a pair of shoes to walk outside. He decided to take the switchblade Danny gave him just in case.

Being as quiet as he could; Egon unlocked and opened the door; seeing that it was still raining. Egon watched as Kitty ran out the door and onto the lawn. she stopped and turned back to Egon; meowing as she pointed towards his house. Egon blinked in confusion. His parents cannot be home, can they? But Egon had to trust Kitty after what she did for him. Egon quickly ran back instead and grabbed his house key from the satchel his mother packed with all his things for his stay at the Polanskis'. Egon ran outside; closing the door behind him as he ran back to his house. Kitty made it to the front door of the Spengler house as Egon stepped out of the rain and undercover. He looked at the front door as he took a few breathes; feeling the lock on the door with his hands. He inserted the key into the lock and turned it; hearing the click that signalled the now open door. Kitty watched as Egon turned the doorknob and pushed the door open; slowly walking inside as the darkness greeted him into his empty home. Kitty ran passed him and meowed; signalling him to follow. Egon went after Kitty as she ran into the hallway. Egon took the opportunity to turn on a few lights; finding it hard to see in the dark house. After doing that; Egon saw Kitty standing near a mirror hung on the hallway wall. Egon knew it had been there for as long as he could remember. But was Kitty looking up at it for some reason. Egon only glanced at it for a second before giving Kitty a judgmental look.

"I don't understand. What are you trying to show me?" He asked; thinking this was a waste of time.

Kitty could only meow in response to Egons questioning. Egon let out a frustrated sigh as he push his hands through his thick dark hair; going quiet as he hid his face in his hands.

Knock knock

Until he heard the sound of someone knocking against something. He froze as he heard it. He slowly took his hands away from his face as more knocking occurred. Kitty made a distressed meow as she looked up at the hanging mirror on the wall. Egon looked up as he realised where the knocking was coming from. He looked at the reflective glass and gasped in shocked horror.

Mr and Mrs Spengler were looking right at their son with scared and frightened faces as they banged their fists against their side of the mirror.

"Mother? Father!?"

Egon quickly reached and put his hands on the mirror as his parents tried to reach for him; both unable to do so behind the reflective surface. Egon only watch as they tried to tell him something. Realising he could not hear them, Mr Spengler breathed on the glass and quickly wrote a message into it with his finger. Egon took his hands away so he could see what the message said. The message was backwards. But Egon knew all too well what it was.

"HELP US"

Egon found it hard to breath as he proceeded what was happening. Were his parents trapped somewhere? How was he supposed to help? But Egon began to panic as the mirror began to change back; his parents starting to disappear.

"No, wait!" He shouted as he reached out. "Don't go! Don't leave me here!"

But it was too late. The mirror changed back and all Egon could see was himself. But he repeatedly bang and slammed his fists against the mirror until inevitably shattered into pieces; falling to the floor with a crash and leaving a cut in his hand that made him and Kitty step back. Egon breathed heavily as he looked at the small amount of blood coming out of his cut. But the shattered pieces of the mirror made him scared and confused and did nothing to help find out his parents whereabouts.

"I don't understand! Where are they!?" He questioned; finding everything that was happening overwhelming.

Kitty just looked down before running to Egons room. Egon followed her; wishing she could just tell him like she could in the other place. Egon turned on the light and found her under the bed; her tail wiggling as she pulled something out with her teeth. Egon blinked as she took out an old looking piece of paper with a yellowish tone in between her teeth. Egon took the paper and looked on one side.

Nothing.

Thinking there would be nothing on the other side, he turned it. But his eyes went wide when he saw what was there. A message written in messy black writing stained the page; still wet as it left a stain on Egons finger tips. Egon read the message at least five or six times over.

"IF YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR PARENTS AGAIN, COME AND PLAY" B

Egon went into a blank state as he realised what was happening. He knew why his parents did not come back or call.

"He's taken them."

Kitty watched as Egon began to shake as an almost enraged look crawled onto his face; backing up as he tore the paper into pieces and shreds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hate to leave it here for the moment. But Read & Review are welcome and I wish you all a merry Christmas and happy holidays.


	11. Go Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Egon goes back to the boogieman's world to rescue his parents. But it will not be that easy.

Egon watched as the shredded remains of the boogieman’s letter burned in the fireplace; turning into ash and ember as the rain outside continued to pour. Egon just wished this was all a nightmare. Maybe then he could wake up and escape to find himself at home safe and with his parents. Egon just slowly sat on the carpet with a blank stare towards the fireplace. Before long, he finally cracked. He buried his face in his knees before he began to sob quietly; thinking it was all his fault that his parents were taken by the boogieman.

"What am I going to do?" He questioned in a tearful whisper. "What am I going do? I can’t call the police or anyone for help; no one would believe any of this."

Kitty watched from the hallway as Egon just went still. The grey cat blinked as she looked down at the floor. She had no idea what was going through his head. But she knew that this was all too much for him. With a quiet purr, she made her way over to Egon and sat next to him. Slowly, she moved herself onto his lap. Egon quickly noticed and uncovered his face; showing his glasses all fogged up and eyes red from crying. Egon just gently picked her up and held her; finding a small amount of comfort from the feline. Egon looked up at the mantle above the fireplace as he stood up with Kitty in one arm.

Egon reached towards an item on the mantle among the decor. A framed photo of him and his parents. Egon blinked as he looked at the sepia tone of the photograph. He looked at least six or seven in the picture while his parents only looked slightly younger. And happier.

Egon could not quite remember what the occasion was for this photo. But it made him realize something about this horrible situation.

"They're not coming back." Egon spoke with an uneasy tone.

Kitty blinked as Egon looked down at her with an uneasy stare.

"Not without help." He finished.

Egon turned towards the hallway; remembering that his closet was still boarded up. As Egon continued to stare, his expression slowly changed from uneasy to determined. Putting the photo back in its place, he knew what he had to do.

Kitty watched as Egon began to grab things from around the house and the shed outback. A flashlight, a box of matches, a wire cutter, the knife that Danny gave him, the ring tied to his neck and a few wax candles. He put all that could fit inside of a spare satchel he had laying around. Kitty watched in interest as Egon grabbed the crowbar and made his way into his room. When he got there, Egon took a look at the boarded closet; knowing how much trouble he was getting into by doing this. But he could not care less. With a determined thrust, Egon jammed the tool in between one of the boards and pushed and pulled until it came off. He repeated this until the door was clear.

Egon took a step back as he dropped the crowbar beside himself. Kitty watched as the boy took a deep; taking a match and a candle out to light it. Egon blew out the match and tossed it aside before reaching for the door. Egon mentally prepared himself for the blinding light show in his closet as he turned the handle. Telling himself to do it, he slowly opened the door. To his surprise and fear, there was no blinding light. Only a dark corridor. Egon took a deep breath as he stepped forward; the candle in his hand as the only light he had.

"You know you're walking into his trap, right?"

Egon looked down to see Kitty walking beside him; giving him a rather disgruntled look in her eyes. She must be able to speak in between the bedroom and the boogieman’s world through the closet. Egon just shook his head and looked forward.

"I know I said I didn't want to go back. But he has my parents." He spoke with determination in his voice. "I can't leave them. While I'm at it, I should save those kids as well."

Egon felt his insides turning cold as he thought about the three ghost children; unable to imagine the horror they may have gone through.

"No one deserves to die like they did."

Kitty nodded in agreement before looking at Egon with idealistic stare.

"Well, I think you should challenge him." She spoke rather vaguely.

Egon glanced at her in question before looking forward again.

"What do you mean?" He asked for clarification.

"Challenge him to a game of wits or skill. He won't play fair. He'll use your own fears against you; but he won't refuse. He has a rather disturbing obsession with games." Kitty explained more thoroughly.

Egon thought about it for a moment. He knew very little of what the boogieman would do to him when he comes back. But maybe a challenge him to some kind of game could work to his advantage.

"What kind of game?" The boy asked as he slowly continued forward.

"Perhaps a scavenger hunt or-"

Egon stopped in place when he heard Kitty make a sound of distress before completely going silent. Egon quickly turned to gasp in horror when he realised that she disappeared.

"Kitty?!" He called out as he moved around frantically. "Kitty!?"

Egon began to breath heavily out of stress as he continued to look; feeling like something was going to jump out at him in the darkness. His stress skyrocketed when a gust of cold air blew out his candle; leaving him blind in the dark. He had already walked far from the entrance. He had no light sauce. Egon panicked as he frantically searched for the matches he had in his satchel. But he fell still as a dim light coming from the direction he was facing. Egon looked forward to see a doorway just a few feet away from him. His ears perked up as he heard something that sounded like music. Egon took a step forward and heard the music more clearly when he realised that the boogieman’s world was right in front of him.

_Children, have you ever met the Boogeyman before?_

_No, of course you haven’t, for you're much too good I'm sure_

_Don't you be afraid of him, if he should visit you_

_He's a great big coward, so I'll tell you what to do:_

_Hush-Hush-Hush_

_Here comes the Boogeyman!_

_Don't let him come too close to you_

_He'll catch you if he can_

Egon stopped for a moment as he took a breath. This was definitely the point of no return. Clenching his fist and tossing the used candle aside, Egon marched forward into the monster’s hideaway.

Egon walked through the doorway to find himself in a room. The walls of the room were all distorted and multicoloured to the point where it would make someone sick if they looked at it for too long. Three doors where in different corners of the room, but they seemed like they were closed off. A fireplace was in another corner with a shelve sitting above it with misshapen decorations like surreal art pieces. A photo frame was in the middle of them; but Egon could not see what it was from where he was standing. An old and beat up looking record player was sitting in the corner; playing the song about the Boogieman. But what got the boy's attention was a set of chairs sitting across from each other with a small table between them. A game of chess was on the table with all the pieces set up. Before Egon could wander who it belonged to, a familiar chuckle came from one of the chairs facing away from him.

"You would think I would find this song rather insulting with how the lyrics go."

Egon thought he was talking about the song being played as the monster talked.

"But I actually find it rather amusing how this Henry Hall thinks doing all these things can keep me away." The boogieman continued with a quiet laugh. "Cats don't frighten me. I just think they're disgusting little pests and crocodiles are nothing but little reptiles compared to me."

Egon felt his blood boiling as the boogieman boasted about himself. But he could not let that get to him. He had to focus on why he came back to this horrific place.

"Where are my parents?" Egon questioned with hints of venom in his voice.

The boogieman just chuckled at the question as he slowly emerged from the chair and stood up. Egon tried to keep on a brave face as the creature turned his head with that evil, sharp toothed smile.

"Goodness, Egon; I have no idea where your parents have gone." The blue skinned devil lied with a sick grin. "Perhaps they grew bored of you and ran away to Chicago."

Egon clenched his fist harder as the boogieman laughed at his expense.

"Don't lie to me you demonic bastard!" The boy yelled out with a swear. "You left that note when you kidnapped them, and I saw them calling for help in the mirror! You wanted me to come back here!"

The boogieman watched with interest as Egon crossed his arms and stood his ground.

"Well guess what? I'm here, and I'm going to find them and save them weather you like it or not!" Egon spoke with a rather demanding tone.

The boogieman tilted his head as he put his hands behind his back. With a quiet chuckle through his teeth, he slowly made his way over to Egon; making the boy drop his brave facade as the creature stood over him.

"Yes. You are here."

Egon almost let out a fearful squeak as the Boogieman grabbed him by the collar and lifted him off the ground with a grin.

"But you're not leaving any time soon." He teased as he reached into his coat.

Egon watched with fear as the boogieman reached into his coat. He thought the monster was going to try and web him up like last time. Kitty was not here to get him out. But to Egon’s confusion, the boogieman did not take out a mass of sticky web. He pulled out a copper coloured key. With swift movement, the Boogieman moved back to the chairs and placed Egon in the one across from his before quickly moving back to the entry way. Egon watched anxiously as the boogieman pushed a door closed and locked it with the key with a loud click. This was it. No going back now. Egon watched as the boogieman took the key and swallowed it; probably so Egon not take it and escape. The boogieman turned back and made his way back to the chair; sitting across from Egon at the small table.

"Now then." The blue skinned monster folded his hands as he rested his elbows on the table with a sickening grin aimed at Egon. "I suppose you're wondering what I'm going to do to you?"

Egon sat very still as he swallowed a bit of built up spit out of fear. But he kept a straight face as the eyes of a monster stared at him.

"I can't imagine it would be fun or good for me." The boy replied with a lowered tone.

"It would be quite enjoyable for me." The boogieman laughed as he played with one of the black chess pieces. "But I don't want to do anything just yet. I want to play a game first. Do you know how to play chess?"

Egon blinked as he remembered what Kitty told him. The boogieman must be trying to try with him by offering to play a game with him. Egon saw his chance to use this to his advantage.

"I was actually thinking about another game." Egon counter offered as he crossed his arms with blank face.

The boogieman stopped playing with the chess as he stopped smiling. But then he gave Egon a rather intrigued look before putting the piece back.

"What kind of game do you have in mind?" The large headed creature asked with a grin of interest.

"A finding things game. Like a scavenger hunt." Egon narrowed it down plan and simple.

"And I take it the thing you'll be finding will be your parents?" The boogieman assumed with a rather mocking stare. "Sounds a bit too easy."

Egon clenched his fist as the boogieman began to laugh; but he chose not to react too much. That was just what he wanted. But knew he had to raise the stakes.

"And the souls of the ghost children." Egon quickly added another objective to the game as he stood up out of his chair.

The boogieman stopped laughing and blinked at the boy with a confused face; wondering how the boy knew about the others before him. Raising one of his eyebrows, he stood up out of his chair; towering over Egon in a bid to intimidate the boy.

"What if you don't find them?" He asked for the conditions of the game.

Egon took a quick and deep breath before answering.

"If I fail... you can keep me here like you did to the other children." The boy spoke with a steady voice even though a small amount of nervous sweat was dripping down his forehead. "And you can do whatever you want to me. You can take all my fear until there's nothing left."

Egon felt his stomach turning into a knot as the boogieman smiled at the thought of devouring the boy's fear until there was nothing left.

"And if you somehow win this little game?" The blue skinned monster asked with a mocking grin.

"Then you have to let me go. Me, my mother, my father, the dead children; everyone you have trapped here." Egon clarified the conditions if he were to win.

The boogieman let out a light chuckle as he held out his hand for Egon to shake.

"It's a deal then." The large headed child snatcher wanted to seal the agreement.

Egon just gave the monster a distrustful and angered look out of spite.

"You have to give me a hint first." The boy crossed his arms, so he did not have the shake his enemy's hand.

The boogieman returned a rather displeased frown as he took his hand back.

"Alright." He spoke in a mildly frustrated tone.

Egon watched as the boogieman began to walk around behind Egon’s chair as he thought of a vague hint. The monster smiled as he thought of something.

"In each of three familiar memories of places Where you have been and seen, the soul of a forgotten child is lost in plain sight." The boogieman recited as he put his hand into his coat. "But you must be cautious of the clock, for time is not your friend."

Egon blinked as the boogieman took out a golden pocket watch with a chain from his coat and dangled it in the boy's face. Egon processed the boogieman’s riddle as he grabbed the watch and exclaimed it; only making a quiet hmph sound as he made sure to remember the clue.

"And my parents?" Egon asked for a hint about his mother and father as the boogieman stood behind the boy's chair.

The boogieman did not respond with words. The blue skinned devil only drummed his finger nails against the wooden frame of the chair as he hummed an unnameable tune; much to Egon’s annoyance.

"Fine. Don't tell me." The boy hissed as he turned away with his arms crossed.

Egon took a few moments to think about this. The boogieman was not going to make this easy. If that creature was not going to give a hint to where his parents are, then he would have to free the ghost children first. With a brief sigh, he turned around.

"It's a deal."

Egon was expecting the boogieman to be behind him with his hand ready to shake. But instead, the boy let out a quiet gasp and looked with wide eyes when he saw no one there. Egon looked around the room; the boogieman was nowhere to be seen. Only the boy was there with a watch in his hand. Egon put the object up to his ear as he listened. The watch was real; it was definitely ticking. He looked at the hands that told the time. There was only one hand inside it. Egon remembered the boogieman’s riddle. Time was not his friend. He understood that he must be on a time limit. But the first part of the clue, he had trouble understanding.

"What did he mean by memories of places I’ve been?" He questioned out loud.

Just as Egon tried to think about it, he heard a loud click in a corner that sounded like something was unlocked. The boy turned around as he heard the sound of a door creaking open. He saw one of the doors in one of the corners opened wide. Egon blinked as he thought that this must be the start of the game, and the door was leading to the first challenge. With a deep breath and exhale, Egon put the watch away in his nightshirt pocket and walked towards the door; seeing a familiar sight inside as he entered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews make me write faster. Just saying.


	12. The First of Three Challenges

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. guys. I don't know how many or if anyone is actually reading this. But if you are, I would appreciate it if you left a comment maybe? It's just that people saying something about my writing actually motivates me to continue and I feel like no one is reading this because no one is saying anything or leaving a kudos. Honestly, it makes me want to give up. But anyway enjoy the chapter.

Egon cautiously took a step through the first door as it led to the first challenge. He was expecting something morbid and disturbing to appear in front of him; something to make his skin crawl or chills go down his spine. But it was not.

Egon was met with confusion when he found himself in the Polanski’s house. He blinked as he observed the familiar surroundings; knowing this was fake. He could see out the window of the kitchen that there was nothing but a black void instead of a garden and no sign of the old married couple. Egon quickly noticed that the colours of the living room were slightly duller then what the real thing was. Quickly dismissing it, Egon decided to look around for the first soul. But it brought up the question. What does a soul look like?

Egon walked passed the cupboard of antiques and teapots as he decided to try the kitchen first. But a small noise made him stop in his tracks. Egon listened as he heard a quiet cracking noise coming from the cupboard. The boy turned around and slowly made his way over. He looked into the glass window of the cupboard and blinked in confusion when he noticed something.

The teapots were shaking. Egon watched with question as the porcelain object began shaking faster without reason.

"What?" He questioned in his head.

But the teapots began to crack loudly. The boy took a step back and gasped as what looked like spider legs sprouted out from the bottom of the teapots while large cracks in the middle turned into angry and yellow glowing eyes. Egon felt his spine tingle when the sentient teapots all turned and stared right at him. His anxiety went through the roof when he heard hissing coming from them.

Before he could do anything, one of them charged and banged itself against the glass; giving itself more cracks as it made inhuman noises. Egon realised what was happening and ran to the kitchen just before the cupboard gave in and opened; letting the demonic teapots free to chase the intruder. Egon climbed on the dining room table as he tried to think of something to ward off his pursuers.

"Come on, Egon; think!" He pressured himself as the spider teapots began to surround the table.

Egon looked down to see the creatures hissing at him. He gasped as two of them started climbing the table legs with sharp claws. Egon quickly looked around the kitchen for anything he could use as a weapon; knowing trying to run from them would waste time. Egon looked at the kitchen counter and noticed something. A meat tenderiser was sitting there. The boy looked down at the teapots as they continued to climb up the table; now very close to the top. Egon gave them an angered look before jumping off the table and running towards the counter. The teapots hissed as they turned around to go after Egon, but the boy quickly grabbed the meat tenderiser. With quick movement, Egon swung the tool downward as one of the teapots crawled towards his feet. With a loud crash, the teapots shattered into pieces of broken porcelain and dismembered spider legs. Egon quickly did this with the other teapots; shattering them one by one. But one of them was too fast for him and latched onto his pant leg.

Egon almost screamed as the teapots quickly crawled up his leg and up his shirt. Egon tried shaking it off before it latched onto his collar and grabbed the ring Mr Polanski gave him. Egon grabbed the spider teapot and threw it against the floor; smashing it as it let out an inhuman shriek. Egon took a few breathes as he looked down at the mess of porcelain and spider legs. But he blinked in confusion as he picked up the ring that fell to the floor and looked at it.

"Why take this?" He questioned as he examined it.

But Egon quickly noticed something as he looked through the centre of the ring. The boy brought it up to his face; looking in the centre with his right eye and gasping in amazed shock.

The room was different all of a sudden. Everything looked like it was now a drawing sketch with light outlining and no colour. Egon took the ring away for a moment and blinked as he processed and remembered the boogieman’s riddle.

The soul of a forgotten child is lost in plain sight.

Egon realised that the soul could be in the form of an object. Maybe Mr Polanskis’ ring could help him find it. Egon brought the ring to his eye again and started looking around for anything conspicuous or out of place. Egon moved back to the living room; still seeing outline as he looked towards the hallway. Egon blinked when he noticed something different. Down the hall, a red spot was slowing blinking and glowing. Egon took the ring away for a moment to see a door down the hall. The boy ran down and put his hand on the knob and turned; slowly opening the door to see what it was he needed to take. But Egon’s eyes went wide, and he went completely silent when he saw what was behind the door.

Inside the room was probably the most disturbing thing he had ever seen in all his eleven years of life. A huge creature that looked like a dog was lying on its side on the floor. It was definitely some kind of dog; but a few features said otherwise. The creature had three heads. One in the middle looked like a ferocious hound with sharp teeth visible as it snored. But the other two heads were human heads that looked like demonic and evil versions of Mr and Mrs Polanski; with sharp fangs showing as they too snored. It was like they were fused with Buster and turned into one horrific experiment gone wrong like in a monster movie. Egon swallowed his fear as he brought the stone back up his eye to find the ghost child's soul. When everything turned into a sketch, Egon saw the red glowing spot again. But it was in the shape of dogs’ name tag. Egon realised that the soul must have been the name tag on the monster dogs’ collar. But it made him dread what he had to go do to get.

Trying to be as quiet as possible, Egon opened the door a bit more and tiptoed towards the snoring beast; freezing momentarily when it snored loudly and shook its three heads in its sleep. Egon carefully got down on the floor; seeing the name tag just above the carpet as it dangled on the collar. With a quiet breath, Egon reached slowly and carefully for the metal tag; terrified of what might happen if he woke the creature. Finally getting a hold of the tag, Egon gently moved and unhooked it from the collar very slowly. He stayed silent as he pulled it out from under the creature as it snored a bit more. Egon took a relived but quiet breath as looked at the blank tag; considering this a small victory. Egon proceeded to slowly get up and leave the room and away from the large creature. Egon made it out the door; closing in gently and quietly as he thought he was in the clear. But he was not getting away that easy.

As Egon turned around to leave, a bump in the carpet suddenly appeared under him and tripped him over; sending him face first into the carpet as he made a loud sound of surprise. Egon managed to push himself back up. But a deep and demonic sounding growl made freeze with wide eyes.

Egon turned his head when he heard repeated banging on the other side of the door. But his heart rate went up when massive claws made a gaping hole in the door; making him scream in fright. Egon quickly got up as the beast glared at him with blood red eyes from the Mrs Polanski head. But the beast rammed through the door as he ran. Egon turned sharply into the living room as the beast ran after him; making it into the living room. But after the turn, Egon slipped on the carpet and fell onto one of the armchairs across from the cupboard. The beast charged into the room too quickly and slammed into the large cupboard; shattering the remaining glass on impact.

Egon felt his heart skip a beast turned to face him with all three heads growling. Egon thought he was done for as the dog monster prepared to jump at him. But he noticed an odd sound coming from behind the monster. The beast took no notice at all as Egon watched the cupboard falling forward. With a crash and bang, the beast let out a roar of pain as the cupboard fell on top of it; shattering more glass with all the non-living objects falling out. Egon watched as the monster took a slow and shallow breath before it ceased of movement; surprisingly fragile for a large and deadly looking thing. Egon stayed still as something happened. The creatures remains begin to solidify into light grey stone. But it didn't stop at the monster. Everything; the entire room turned to stone; even the kitchen and the armchair Egon was sitting in. Maybe this meant the first challenge was complete.

"Thank you, Sir!"

Egon jumped as he heard a voice. But he calmed down when he realised who it was. It was the voice of one of the ghost children. Egon looked down at the dog tag in his hand as it began to glare faintly. He listened as remembered the voice of one of the twin boys.

"You've saved me from my pain and suffering. But my brother and the little girl still need you to save them."

Egon dreaded what might be happening in the next challenge. But he knew he had to solider on and face it.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it." He reassured the rescued ghost as the tag lost its glow.

Egon put the soul away in his satchel for safekeeping. But as he put the item away, he noticed an odd sound coming from his pocket. It was ticking. Rather loud ticking. The pocket watch that the Boogieman gave him beforehand was ticking louder than it was a while ago. Egon pulled out the watch from his pocket and opened it; thinking he was just going to see a regular clock. But his eyes widened when he saw that a small portion of the clocks face was turned black as the hand went past. Egon realised that he was definitely on a time limit. Egon decided to hurry to the next challenge; dreading what might happen if he ran out of time.


	13. The Second of Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spiders. Lots of spiders.

Egon once again walked through the same door; hopefully leading to the next challenge and the next soul. The boy slowly stepped through the doorway and once again found himself in a familiar place lined with bookshelves.

Mr Black’s bookshop.

Egon took Mr Polanski’s' ring out of his pocket and brought it up to his eye; turning the room into a drawing like the first one. Egon looked around for anything that looked like a soul. But nothing was showing up.

"It has to be here." The boy thought out loud.

Before he could do anything else, the lights on the ceiling went out; leaving him in pitch black darkness. With a worried gasp, Egon quickly felt inside his bag for the torch he packed; finding it in a few seconds. Egon let out a relived sigh as he felt the metal light giving device. But it quickly turned into a gasp of horror when he turned it on. The bookshop was changed from a small library into a dark room full of cobwebs large and small. And where there were webs, there would be spiders.

Egon felt his stomach twisting as he spotted one of the eight legged arachnids climbing a web just beside him. He wanted to crawl up in a corner and cry out for help. But he knew he was alone here. Telling himself he had to keep going he shined his torch light in a few spots of the room; looking for a way around the webs. He spotted a hole large enough to walk through that would get him to the other side. Egon began his trek through the hole; holding his flashlight in front of him in case any spiders were going to jump out at him. The boy kept his breathing steady as he slowly walked through the opening; keeping a look out for anything crawling or creeping. Egon was halfway through when he noticed a narrow hole in the wall of cobwebs as he went passed. He did not want to dwell on it, so he just kept going.

Egon pointed his flashlight forward as he saw the end of the tunnel; squeezing and pulling himself out of it and glad to be out of the tight space. The boy took the moment to look around for the next soul and brought the ring back to his eye. Egon let out a mild groan of frustration when he could only see a small portion of sketch where his flashlight pointed. But he blinked and quickly turned around when he heard a creaking door sound. Egon looked towards some light peeking out from a newly opened door in the wall; thankfully clean of any webs or spiders. Egon thought that maybe the soul was in there. He took a few steps forward and opened the door very slightly. His eyes widened in fear when he saw what was inside the room.

A giant ball of webbing was in the centre of the room; hanging just above the floor by a few webs on the ceiling. Swallowing a mouthful of nervous spit, Egon brought the ring back to his eye to look for anything conspicuous. To his disgust, a small glowing blue dot was shining in the cocoon; looking like it was being held by something with claws. Egon went pale as he realised that he would have to get it out. With a deep breathing, Egon took out the knife Danny gave him and stepped forward.

Egon just made a grimace of disgust as he cut through the webbing; thinking it was like stale bread. After a minute, Egon made a tear large to see and reach into. He shined his flashlight inside to see what he was looking for. A book was what the blue dot was indicating. But a malformed hand with sharp claws was holding it. Egon took out the knife and quickly gave the hand a poke; quickly taking it back in case it moved. Egon watched closely. But nothing happened. It just stood still. Thinking he was in the clear, Egon reached in and grabbed the book; taking it out of the grasp of whatever was holding it. Egon looked at the object in his hand and slowly gained a smile out of triumph.

"Thief."

But the smile quickly turned into a look of shock as he heard a voice. Before he could react, a clawed hand burst out from the cocoon and grabbed his arm. Egon screamed in shock and terror as the owner of the hand showed itself as it ripped out from the webbing. A monster looked down at Egon with a stare of pure malice with black soulless eyes. The upper body of the monster looked like Mr Black with his hair and face, but his hands were replaced with claws. The rest of him was a giant spider body and legs. Egon began to hyperventilate as the monster growled at him with a mouth full of needle pointed teeth.

"You’re stealing my book! You're a thief!" The spider monster spoke in a deep voice.

Egon frantically shook his head and protested with a shaky quiver in his voice.

"No I wasn't! I-"

The monster ignored him with a throaty growl.

"GIVE IT BACK OR I WILL BITE OFF YOUR HEAD!!"

Egon could respond by shining his flashlight into the monsters eyes. The monster let a grunt of discomfort as he let go of Egon to cover his strained eyes. Egon took the opportunity to run out of the room with the book in his hands. But the monster quickly regained its sight as Egon ran back through the hole in the webbing. With a deep growl, the spider creature tore down the walls of the room it was trapped in; making plaster fall as it sniffed for Egons scent. Egon was halfway through the tunnel when he felt something tugging on the bottom of his shirt. He glanced and gasped when he saw the creature reaching for him and grabbing his nightshirt with its claws while shouting.

"THIEF! THIEF! GIVE IT BACK!"

Egon pulled against the creatures grip and fell backwards; ripping the bottom of his shirt and tearing off a bit of fabric. Egon quickly resumed running as the creature backed up a bit before it began to tear through the webbed wall as it continued to shout.

"GIVE IT BAAACCCCKK!"

Egon squeezed out of the hole and ran towards the door he came from; thinking he would be safe if he reached it. But to his horror, it would not open. He struggled as he pushed and pulled, but the door was locked tight. Egons' panic rose as the creature continued to rip through the thick webbing until he could see its face peeking out from the webs.

"No, not here; please!" Egon begged as fearful tears built up.

The creature just ignored the boy's plea with a growl and repeated what it said before.

"Give it BACK!" It shouted as it reached for Egon with its claws.

Egon covered his face and cowered as he braced for the creature to grab and do the worst to him. But Egon waited and waited. But he felt nothing.

"GGAAAHHHHH!"

Egon opened his eyes and looked up when he heard the creature make sounds of pain. The boy gasped and backed fair as he could as he saw the spider monster being attacked by three dozens of spiders the size of a human fist.

"STOP! STOP!"

The creature shouted for the smaller creatures to stop. But it was too late for it. It destroyed the spiders nest when it chased after Egon and they wanted revenge. Egon flinched as the spiders began to bite and claw at the creature furiously; making it roar in pain as it uselessly struggled to get free. Egon could not take any more; covering his ears and closing his eyes as much as he could. Egon stayed like this for the next few seconds. But just as he thought it would not end. Everything went silent.

Egon did not want to open his eyes; afraid that the spiders would still be there to eat him. But a sudden flash of light on his eyelids made him do otherwise. Egon gasped lightly when he saw the spider monster and the smaller spiders. But they were not moving. They were turned to stone. The webs were gone along with the book shelves; as if they were never there.

"You need to hurry!"

Egon looked down as the other twins’ voice came from the now glowing book in his hand.

"You need to win the final challenge and save the girl! Time is running out!" The other twin boy spoke with panicked urgency.

The glowing stopped as the twin went silent. Egon just took a deep breath and exhale as he leaned back on the locked door. Or he thought it was looked until he fell onto his back. Egon quickly got up to see the door the next and final challenge opened. The boy stared at the void in front of him; wondering if he was close to winning and beating the boogieman. Egon thought of his parents and if they were okay. The boy sighed with worry and exhaustion. The sooner he found the third soul and his parents, the sooner he could get of this place and never come back. Lifting himself off the floor and standing up properly, Egon took the next step and walked through the door to the third and final challenge.


	14. The Third Challenge

Egon felt his breath slowing as he found himself in a dark corridor. He slowly took one step at a time as he thought of what horrific game the Boogieman had set up for him next. That monster was taking a bit of advantage over the boy's arachnophobia; fearing there was going to be another giant spider or another monster that could tower over him and eat him in one bite. Egon could see the next door as he approached with caution. As he moved his hand towards the doorknob, he took a deep breath; trying to mentally prepare himself for the horrors ahead. Letting out an exhale of determination, he turned the doorknob slowly and looked at where he was.

Egon blinked in confusion when he saw a rather unfamiliar scene in front of him. All he could see were trees as far and high as his eyes could see and green grass covering the ground. Egon looked up to see a black and starless sky; knowing this was still the boogieman’s domain. Knowing he had work to do, Egon took out the ring and put it over his eye to find the final soul.

Egon looked around to see sketches of trees and grass; waiting for something coloured to pop up. Egon stopped when he spotted a small pink dot in the distance. With a hurried gasp, Egon put the ring away from his eye and ran towards the direction of the spot; slowing down as he came closer. Egon could see what it was when he came close enough.

A single red mushroom was sitting at the base of a tree; surrounded by nothing but dirt under it. Thinking he needed to make sure, Egon put the ring back over his eye. To his relief, the mushroom gave out a pink glow; telling Egon that it was the final soul.

With a swift hand, Egon grabbed the fungi and gently pulled it out of the ground in a clean pull; stem and all.

"That should be it." He thought with a triumphant smile.

The boy observed his prize as he stood up; thinking he may have won the game. But after a few seconds, he felt a cold breeze brush against him as he started thinking. The smile on his face faded as he realised that this was supposed to be the third and last challenge. But he already found the soul without running into any monsters or nightmare inducing creature. Nothing turned into stone like the last two times. This was too easy. Egon stared into nothing as he realised that something was very wrong.

"Egon..."

The boy gasped and quickly turned around as he heard a voice call his name. Egon kept a tight hold on the mushroom as he frantically looked around for the voices owner; knowing it was probably someone or something that wanted to hurt him. Egon stopped looking when he saw a shadowy figure in the distance up ahead. The boy took a step back as he noticed a pair of glowing yellow and red eyes on the figure. A chill went up his spine as he heard the faint sound of Devilish laughter coming from the individual. Thinking he was in danger again, Egon took his chances and ran off in the other direction. Egon took quick and heavy breathes after running a far distance in a few seconds as he looked back. No one was following him; making him think he was in the clear.

"OOF-!"

But Egon crashed into something and fell backwards on the ground; making his glasses crooked on his face. Egon quickly got himself back up with a look of fear on his face; thinking he may have ran into something evil.

"Ahhh..."

But a familiar voice came from whatever Egon bumped into. The boy looked up and adjusted his glasses to see a man with his back turned to him. Egon blinked as the rubbed his back as he turned around. But he gasped when he saw the man’s face. A face that was like an older version of him.

"Father?"

Mr Spengler froze as he heard the voice of his son before looking down. His eyes widened behind his glasses as he saw Egon sitting there.

"Egon!" Mr Spengler spoke with a mix of relief and surprise in his voice as he bent down to his son on the ground. "How did you get here?!"

Mr Spengler looked around with a rather uncharacteristic look of confusion on his face.

"Where is here?" He questioned.

Egon was tempted to smile upon seeing his father in front of him. But there were pressing matters at hand. Egon sat up a bit more and brushed himself off.

"This sounds very hard to believe, father. But you and mom were kidnapped by the Boogieman." The boy explained as truthfully as he could. "You didn't come home last night after the conference and I saw the two of you trapped inside a mirror. So I came to rescue you and mom."

Egon wanted to explain a bit more. But he realised something.

"Wait! Where's mom!?" He questioned in worry.

Mr Spengler spoke his head as he stood up.

"This Boogieman you're talking about still has her." He said plain and simple. "I was able to escape and run, but she wasn't and she's still trapped."

Egon blinked as he stood up. His father seemed terrified by this situation, yet he did not seem massively concerned about his wife. But a rare and uncharacteristic smile appeared on the man’s face; making Egon blink in confusion as he stood.

"But now that I've found you, we can rescue her and get out of here." The scientist spoke with a hint of hope in his usually dull voice and grim voice.

Egon watched as Mr Spengler prepared to turn around from where he came.

"We can go this way." Mr Spengler pointed in the direction behind him. "Come on."

Egon was about to follow his father. But he was hesitating. He had a cold feeling in his stomach that was telling him something was wrong. Egon stood still as he realised that he needed to be sure.

"Umm... father? May I ask a question?" He asked in a calm tone; trying to hide his hesitation.

Mr Spengler quickly stopped and turned around to face Egon. Egon watched as Mr Spengler raised a brow before a slight smile appeared on his face out of nowhere.

"You just asked me a question, kiddo." The man spoke with an uncharacteristic joking tone.

Egon blinked as his father spoke. He took a step back as he realised something was up. Mr Spengler hardly ever smiled anymore and he would never call his son kiddo. Unknowingly, Egon gave the man a rather judgemental stare.

"Just how exactly did you escape?" He questioned in quiet and reserved voice. "The boogieman had you trapped in a mirror with mom."

Mr Spengler stopped smiling and started scratching the back of his head in thought.

"Well, I broke through and made a run for it." The man explained rather vaguely.

"What about mom?! You didn't take her with you!?" Egon questioned with his voice raised.

Mr Spengler flinched a bit before responding.

"Don't yell like that, son!" He raised his voice slightly as he spoke. "I was going to go back for Maryann after I knew I was safe!"

Egon reached into his pocket as he stared at his father with resentment. Mr Spengler raised a brow as he noticed before Egon said something else.

"My mothers’ name is Katherine." Egon spoke with a venomous tone.

Before Mr Spengler could reply, Egon pulled out the knife Danny gave him and pointed it towards the man; making him step back with wide eyes.

“My father's wife's name is Katherine!" Egon shouted in anger and suspicion. "You're not my father! Tell me who you really are or else."

Egon watched as man softened his widened stare before giving him a blank look. But Egons’ skin paled as a rather unnerving smile crept on the man’s face; confirming his suspicions of the imposter. In a few seconds, Egon could hear the man begin to chuckle quietly.

"You're quite a clever boy, Egon." The imposter commented as he took off his glasses and dropped them on the ground. "A bit too clever I would say."

Egon felt his insides turning cold as he noticed that the man’s voice was changing. The boy in horror as the imposter smiled at him with sharp yellow teeth and stared at him with ghastly yellow and red eyes.

"But it’ll be all the more satisfying when you lose and become my next meal."

Egon gasped in horror as he recognised that horrific voice. But he froze as the owner began to change shape in front of him. His bones were cracking, his hair grew and turned black while his head grew grossly large, his skin was changing into a light shade of blue and his legs morphed into goats’ legs with his body covered by a dirty trench coat. The imposter laughed when his true form was revealed and Egon stared in horror as his breathing became heavy when he saw the monster he thought was his father.

The boogieman.

The boogieman tilted his head to the side as he looked at the boy and grinned evilly.

"Now. Where were we?" The boogieman asked rhetorically before he began to approach.

Egon shook his head as he back away in panic.

"No. No! Stay away from me!"

Egon took his chance; turning around and running the other way. The boogieman stopped and watched as the boy ran into the forest; the smile fading a bit as he thought of how difficult this did not need to be for himself. The large headed monster reached into his pocket and took out a spider creature the size of his fist. The spider looked up at its master with its hollow and black eyes.

"Bring him to me." He ordered as he let the spider down.

When the spider was down on the ground, it let out a monstrous growl before it grew into the size of a large adult lion and gave chase towards its prey.

Egon continued to run with the final soul and his knife on hand. But he panicked as he heard the sound of something giving chase behind him; making him run faster. Egon continued to run as he spotted an opening up ahead; thinking he may be safe after all. But he came to a complete stop when he made it to the end. Because there was nothing but a step ledge that led to a dark hole with seemingly no end.

A deep growl made Egon turn around and stare as the spider creature emerged from the trees. Egon held up his knife; even though he did not want to go anywhere near that thing.

"S-Stay back! I'm warning you!" He threatened the creature with a brave facade.

The spider just ignored the boy as it opened its mouth and spat out a string of webbing. Egon screamed a bit as it attached to his leg. He tried to cut it off with his knife, but the monster pulled and made the boy fall onto his back; making him lose grip of the soul and making Polanskis’ ring fall out of his pocket. Egon tried to reach for the mushroom containing the soul, but the spider beat him to it and blocked it from his reach.

The spider bared its talons at him as it prepared to wrap him in a webbing cocoon. But the creature missed judge its footing as the two lower legs in its right side slipped over the edge of the ledge. Unable to fix its position, it slipped more until the dirt under it gave way and sent it sliding down the ledge. Egon tried to hold onto the grass, but the pull was too strong and he screamed as he slides down with the spider attached to him into the dark hole.

* * *

Egon slowing awoke with a ringing sound in his ears. He slowly opened his eyes to dim and blurry surroundings; quickly realising his glasses were gone. He quickly searched for them on the ground; finding them in a matter of seconds. He put them back on, but he was disoriented by a large crack in the left lens. Egon looked around to see himself in a pit; surrounded by walls of dirt. The spider creature was lying on the ground on its back with its legs in the air. Egon went up to it to see his knife lodged into its chest. He slowly pulled it out to find it stained with black gunk.

But the boy realised what just happened. The soul with nowhere to found. It was up on the ground when they fell and out if his reach. Egon reached into his pocket and took out the watch; his heart sinking as he saw the ticking timer was only a minute away from being up.

"This can't be happening." He shook his head in disbelief as he heard the ticking. "I... I lost."

Egon stared into nothing as the watched slipped out of his hands and fell to the floor. He too fell to his knees as the situation hit him like a speeding train as the ticking continued to ring in his ears.

"I've lost everything... I've failed."

The words repeated in the boy's head as he felt his eyes filling with tears. Not before long, he broke down. Egon covered his face with his hands as he cried out in sorrow and pain; thinking he was never going to see his parents ever again. That he was never going to grow up or find someone he could marry and spend his life with nor have children of his own. He would never use his mind and skills to make the world a better place. He just kept thinking this was the end.

....

Meow

....

Egon froze as he heard a familiar sound. He slowly looked up with his tears clouding his vision. But he could make out a familiar figure coming towards him. His eyes widened when his vision cleared to see a welcoming sight.

Kitty approached him slowly. He noticed that she had some kind of object in her mouth. She stopped in front of him and dropped the object on the ground for him to see. Egon stared as he realised what it was. The last soul.

"I'm sorry for disappearing like that." She apologised for earlier. "That child snatching beast wanted me out of the picture."

Egon just blinked as he wiped away his tears before giving the cat a relived smile of gratitude.

"I'm just glad you're okay." He spoke with a croak in his voice.

Kitty made a quiet meow as she passed the mushroom forward for him to take.

"I wasn't going to let that monster take another." She spoke quietly as she sat in front him.

Egon looked at Kitty briefly before reaching for the soul with a shaky hand. But as soon as he touched it, everything around him and Kitty changed. The walls of the pit turned to grey stone and the dead spider turned into a statue. Egon brought the soul to his chest as he heard the ticking stop. He looked at the watch just to make sure. The watch did indeed stop. But the hand was just a few inches away from covering the whole face of the clock. Realising he beat the time, Egon looked back at Kitty before moving towards her and gently picking her up; hugging her as tears of gratitude fell down his face.

"I can't thank you enough." He spoke gently.

"You don't have to thank me yet." Kitty replied as Egon put her down.

Before the boy could reply, the sound of crumbling rock came from the one of the walls of the pit. The pair watched as a door appeared in front of them; creaking as it opened. Kitty growled at the sight while it reminded Egon of what he had to do next. Egon stood up and put the mushroom containing the last child's soul in his satchel as he looked down at his companion.

"I have to go in there." He spoke as he clenched his fist. "He still has my parents."

Egon looked towards the open door as Kitty began to climb up his side and rested on his shoulder.

"Well, you're not going at it alone." She spoke with a determined tone in her voice. "He's going to use everything he has against you. So I'm going to use everything I have against him."

Egon replied with a nod of agreement as the pair looked towards the door. With a quick exhale, Egon went forward and made his way through; ready for whatever the Boogieman would throw at him. At least he hoped he was ready.


	15. The Way Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to R&R thanks

Egon kept a brave face on as he and Kitty made their way to the Boogiemans lair with hopes that he was keeping Egons parents somewhere in there. Egon once again found himself back where he started. It was definitely the Boogiemans room. But the colours of the walls were dull and the record player was playing backwards. But Egon and Kitty's attention was placed in the middle of the room where the monster was sitting at his chair playing a game chess by his lonesome. The pair made no sound. But he knew they were there.

"So, you made it." He spoke with a low and gravely tone.

"Can't get rid of me that easily, you bastard." Kitty replied with an insult.

The boogieman slowly turned his head to look at the boy and the cat.

"I wasn't talking to you, vermin."

Egon felt his insides turning cold as the boogieman stood up out of chair; showing his full height as he looked down at them. But Egon kept his fear hidden gave the monster a hard stare as the boogieman approached him.

"I must say. I'm in between impressed and furious with you, Egon." The boogieman spoke with a hiss. "You're becoming quite a nuisance."

"Whatever it takes to get away from you I suppose." Egon replied in a rather cold tone of voice.

The boogieman just put his hands together in an attempt to hide his growing frustration. But the monster decided to smile instead.

"So... I take it you found the childrens’ souls?" He questioned through his teeth.

Egon did not say. He just pulled his satchel forward and opened it slightly. The grin on the boogiemans face grew wider as he reached for it with his claws. But Egon quickly took it back; making him frown angrily.

"Hold it! We're not done here." Egon warned with a harsh stare.

The boogieman straightened his back up as he gave the boy an impatient grimace before walking to the distorted fireplace.

"No. I suppose not." He spoke before giving Egon a rather playful grin. "Yes. You still need to find your mother and father before you can leave."

Egon just gave the boogieman a resentful stare while Kitty growled at him. But the boogieman returned their looks with an evil fanged grin before reaching into his coat.

"Shame you won't have any help from Mr what’s his name."

Egon watched as the Boogieman pulled a familiar object out of his coat and held it up for the boy to see. Egon gasped as he saw the boogieman holding Mr Polanskis ring between his thumb and index finger nails. Before he could do anything, the boogieman placed the ring in the palm of his hand; forming it into a fist and crushing it into a shape beyond repair. Egon watched as the boogieman dropped the ring onto the hard floor; laughing to himself. Kitty took the moment to whisper something into Egons ear.

"We need to trick him. Even if we win, he'll never let us leave." She warned in a harsh whisper.

Egon felt a drop of sweat going down his forehead as he realised Kitty was right. The boogieman was not going to let him go.

But what if...

Egon looked towards the way he came in. The door leading back to his room. It was locked and that monster had the key. Egon narrowed his brow as he came up with a plan that would hopefully give him a bit of time to find his parents and escape. Egon gave a Kitty a brief look before quietly whispering something into her ear; making her give a look of understanding. With that, the pair looked at the monster standing across from them as he gave them a rather unpleasant grin.

"I know where they are."

Egon lied to the boogieman with a straight face about his parents’ whereabouts. He had a feeling that there were somewhere in this room. But he needed time to look. And a way out when he found them. The boogieman stood up straight as he gave Egon grin of sick interest.

"Do tell." He tilted his head to the side a bit as he asked.

Egon glanced to the side a bit; seeing the door to his room out of the corner of his eye and putting his plan into motion.

"They're in there." Egon pointed to the currently closed door.

The boogiemans grin grew wider as he heard the boy's answer.

"Are you sure?" He questioned through his fanged smile.

Egon did not answer. He and Kitty only stared. The boogieman let out a quiet chuckle as he slowly made his way to the door; leaving a small amount of time for the duo to quietly and quickly find Egons parents.

But the boy frantically looked around as he backed up towards the fireplace; hearing something that sounded like tapping against glass. Kitty turned her head towards the fireplace mantle and let out a let gasp.

"There!"

Egon felt Kitty jumped off his shoulder; making him turn and face her where she sat. But Egon also gasped as he saw what she saw. The photo frame he saw when he came here. But he could see the picture. And the picture could see him.

Egon could see his parents moving and banging the hands against the glass to get his attention; saying things that he could not hear. But Egon slowly smiled with a few tears as he reached for the frame.

"Mom... Dad..."

But a loud cough made him flinch and freeze. He looked towards the boogieman as he pulled the key he swallowed out of his mouth and wiped it clean with his coat. The large headed creature looked towards Egon and Kitty with a sheepish grin.

"G-go on. Open it. I'm positive they'll be right there." Egon lied; hoping the monster would be distracted long enough.

Egon and Kitty knew the plan was on the right track. But the boogieman let out an unsettling chuckle as he turned away and put the key in the doors lock.

"You're wrong, Egon." He spoke with a sick smile in his voice as he grabbed the handle.

Egon watched as the boogieman opened the door with the key still in the lock; showing the dark and empty hall in between his home and this hellhole. But the boogieman blocked it and gave the boy a frightful grin.

"Now, you and your fear are mine to feast on." The boogieman spoke as he began to approach with his claws out.

Egon pretended to be horrified as the boogieman ran up to him. But as soon as the creature grabbed him by his shoulders, the boy gave the monster a rather playful grin.

"Sorry. You're dinner's been cancelled." Egon spoke in a sly tone of voice.

The boogieman just dropped the grin and replaced it with a confused expression. But it quickly turned into shock as Kitty screeched at the top of her lungs and jumped onto his face with her claws. Screaming out in pain, he dropped Egon and ran backwards as he tried to pull the feline off. Egon took the moment to grab the picture frame and put it in his satchel. He quickly circled around the boogieman as Kitty kept him distracted; making it to the door.

Kitty scratched and clawed at the monster as he shouted curses and swears at the feline. Kitty let out a screech as she scratched the boogiemans left ear; making him grunt in pain before he finally pulled her off. Enraged by the new tear in his ear, the boogieman threw Kitty in the direction of the door. Egon caught Kitty as she fell into his arms. But Egon quickly put her down to grab the key while the boogieman was recovering from the cats’ assault; bleeding black gunk from the scratch she inflicted on him.

But the boogieman quickly noticed Egon pulling out the key from the lock.

"No you don't!" The large headed creature shouted as he charged towards the door.

Egon quickly moved and pulled to shut the door, but the boogieman man slid his claws into gap before Egon could fully close it; pulling against Egons brittle strength. Egon struggled to pull the door closed, but the boogieman was too strong for him. Egon could see the monster smiling at him as he began to pull the door open. Kitty watched anxiously as the monster had its sights on the boy. But a glow from his satchel caught her attention. Before she could question it, three balls of light floated out in urgent movement. Kitty knew what they were. The lost children.

"Please help him!" She asked in a hurried tone as she stepped back and ran back to the real world.

The three orbs of light circled around for a split second before phasing through Egon into his chest. Egon gasped as he felt a sudden chill through his entire body; but he did not let go of his side of the door. In fact, he suddenly felt stronger. Growling as the boogieman growled at him, Egon pulled the door with his newfound strength against his monstrous adversary. The boogieman grunted as he realised he was losing the fight against this child; continuing to growl on the verge of a temper tantrum.

"NO!" He yelled as Egon pulled and slammed the door shut.

As the door closed with a loud click, Egon backed off in a hurry on wobbly legs; quickly recovering his balance as he took a breather. But Egon quickly remembered the key he took and held it in his hand. He needed to make sure the boogieman could not follow or chase after him. Without a second thought, Egon ran up to the door; putting the key in the lock and turning it. He thought he was safe when he heard a click.

"NOOOOO!"

Egon jumped backwards as the boogieman banged the door from the other side while screaming and shouting. But he felt his heart beating faster when he realised the door was coming towards him. Egon quickly turned the other way and ran as fast as a human possibly could; but he could hear the boogieman practically begging for his prey to come back into his trap.

"COME BACK!! I NEED YOU!! IM HUNGRY!!!"

With every shout and bang in the door, the portal shrunk and shortened. Egon jumped through the opening to his safe haven of a room. But he quickly turned back around as the other door came closer by the second. Egon quickly grabbed his own closet door as the boogiemans’ closed in; slamming it shut, turning the key and leaning on it with his weight.

BOOM

Egon grunted as he felt the impact of the other door slamming into his closet door; putting him into the air for a moment before landing in his bed. Egon just stared up at the ceiling as the key landed on his chest; catching a much needed breather when he realised the beating stopped. He sat up and looked around his room when he realised something. Sunlight was peeking in through his window. It was daytime. He must have been in there all night. Kitty was nowhere to be seen. She must have had enough excitement from all the hell she and Egon went through. Egon got up off his bed and exited the room with shaky legs. He leaned on one of the hallway walls before having a look in his satchel to make sure he did not forget anything. The three souls of the children; there and accounted for.

...

But Egon gasped when he realised something was missing.

The photo frame with his parents inside.

Egon was stepping into the living room as he began to panic; thinking they fell out of satchel while he was running. But a crack took him out if thoughts and made him look down. Egon realised that he stepped on and cracked some glass that was shattered in pieces on the floor. He blinked in confusion as he realised that it was a picture frame with a photo inside. The same photo from when his parents and he were happier. He carefully picked it up to avoid any cuts for closer inspection; thinking something odd was happening.

"Are you sure he'll forgive me after how I've been to him?"

Egon gasped as he heard a familiar voice coming towards the front door. Before he could turn around, the front door opened to reveal someone Egon thought he would never see again.

Mr and Mrs Spengler walked through the door as talked to one another; not noticing Egon straight away as they entered. But Egon, time went completely still as he saw his parents coming. Not because he was scared of how they would react to him being there or because of the broken photo frame and glass. He was certain they were really there and not some illusion or dream.

"Charles, you have to talk to him or-"

Mrs Spengler stopped short as she saw her in the living room; gasping in surprise by his presence. Mr Spengler dropped his suitcase as he saw him there; thinking he was supposed to be next door.

"Egon!? What are you doing here!?" The man questioned in confusion. "You're supposed to be at Mr and Mrs-"

Mr Spengler could not finish his sentence as Egon ran up to him and his mother; wrapping his arms around there as tightly as he could as he sounded like he was on the verge of tears.

"You're back! You're okay!" Egon spoke like he had not seen them in years. "I missed you so much!"

Mr Spengler just looked at the boy with a face that showed he was unsure how to react to this. But Mrs Spengler quickly responded by hugging back tightly but gently.

"We missed you too, Spookums." She spoke as he son held onto them.

Spengler was about to question this when he saw the shattered glass on the floor; eyes widening a bit as he saw the photo on the mantle.

"What the-?!" He broke away from his sons’ embrace and hurried towards the scene; picking up the photo and dropping some little bits of glass on the floor. "Egon; did you break this!?"

Egon broke away from his mother as his father accused him of breaking something in the house; as he should have expected.

"I didn't break it." Egon tried to explain himself. "It must've broke when-"

Egon was interrupted mid-sentence as Mrs Spengler grabbed his chin and looked at him; gasping when she noticed the crack in his glasses.

"Egon, what happened to your glasses!?" She spoke in a panicked tone. "Are you hurt!? You didn't get cut by any glass did you!?"

"Mom, stop! I'm fine!" Egon tried to calm her down as Mr Spengler came up to him.

"Egon, do Mr and Mrs Polanski know where you are?" Mr Spengler questioned in a slightly worried tone.

Egon hesitated as he tried to answer.

"Harold! Where's Egon!?"

But the Spengler family could hear Mrs Polanski shouting her head off next door.

"He was here last night!" Mr Polanski answered worryingly as Mr Spengler went outside.

"I'm not asking where he was; I'm asking where he is!" Mrs Polanski began to argue with her husband.

Mr Spengler shook his head as the old couple began to shout at each other.

"Excuse me!" He shouted out to get their attention.

Mr and Mrs Polanski stopped shouting at each other and saw Mr Spengler standing there.

"Oh, Mr Spengler; you're home!" Mrs Polanski spoke with surprise.

"We didn't expect you to be home this soon!" Mr Polanski said in a still worrying tone.

"It's alright. Egon's right here." Mr Spengler reassured the neighbours.

Mr and Mrs Polanski suddenly had relived looks on their faces. Egon peeked through the door and waved at the old couple; making them wave back at him. Mr Spengler gave the boy a rather harsh look before speaking to the neighbours again.

"But I want to have a word with him." He said as he went back inside.

Egon felt a chill up his spine as he heard those words. He looked up anxiously as Mr Spengler closed the door and looked down at his son. But Mr Spengler softened his stare as he caught Mrs Spengler giving him a knowing but hard stare. The man quietly sighed as he kneeled down to his sons’ level.

"So... What happened?" He asked.

Egon blinked in a mix of confusion and surprise; expecting his father to say something harsh. But his tone was a bit lighter and softer than normal. But Egon had a feeling his parents might have not remembered what happened to them. He thought it might have been for the best; but he now he was going to have to make something up. He silently took a breath before speaking.

"Well, I got up early this morning and I heard something coming from the house. So I decided to go investigate and see what it was." Egon explained to his parents. "I ran over here, but I tripped and fell on the ground. I guess that's why my glasses are cracked. But I got back up and went inside the house with my spare key."

Egon bit his lip for a moment before talking again.

"Turns out the school isn't the only place with a rat problem."

Mrs Spengler put her hand on her chest with disgust and Mr Spengler gave his son an odd look.

"You mean a rat did that?" He asked as he pointed at the broken picture frame.

"There's also a mirror in pieces in the hall. But that was my fault." Egon quickly explained as his parents listened. "I was chasing the rat and things got a bit out of hand. Sorry."

Mr and Spengler looked at each other in question; as if they were debating if their son was telling the truth.

"Is it still here?" Mrs Spengler asked; looking around for any sign of a rodent.

"I was still looking for it when you came home. I'm not sure where it is now." Egon finished his explanation; hoping his parents would believe it.

Egon watched anxiously as his father thought about it while his mother seemed convinced. Mr Spengler put his hands on his hips as he nodded.

"It'll probably turn up sooner or later. But for now, let's get rid of this glass and get you cleaned up." He said as he picked up his suitcase to put away.

Mrs Spengler stood up with a smile on her face.

"We have a lot to celebrate, Spookums. Dr Hudson was impressed with what your father presented." Mrs Spengler recalled the conference to her memory.

Egon blinked as he thought about what his mother was talking about.

"At the conference?" He asked; wanting to know if his parents remembered what happened.

"Of course. Where else would we have been?" Mr Spengler asked before heading to his room.

Mrs Spengler told Egon she was going to clean up the glass and run a bath for him before leaving the room to get a pan. When she left, Egon looked at the broken frame. His parents really did not remember the boogieman and how he trapped them in a picture frame. As Egon thought about it more, maybe it was best that they did not remember. With that reassuring thought, Egon took his satchel strap off his shoulder and went to take a well-deserved and warm bath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to R&R thanks


	16. It's Not Over

Later that evening, Mr and Mrs Spengler decided it would be a good idea to go out to eat. Egon welcomed the idea and dressed himself up for the outing. The family went to a decent restaurant in town and had a rather enjoyable evening. Mr Spengler even smiled a bit more them he ever did; which was almost never. After a more then decent night out, the family of three went home; talking and chatting for the first time in a long time. Mrs Spengler asked Egon what he wanted to do for his birthday next week. He decided he just wanted to spend it at home and invite a few people over like his uncle Cyrus. He even thought of inviting Danny and Kitty. After a few minutes of discussion, they pulled up into the driveway of their house; arriving home at last.

"No wander Mr Murray recommended that place! That pasta was just excellent!" Mrs Spengler commented with a smile as she opened the front door and walked inside.

"And the waiters were quite lovely. I've never had such good service." Mr Spengler added as he took his coat off.

Mr Spengler watched as Egon ran into the house and slide on the floor with a rather large grin on his face.

"Dessert was great too!" The boy said before running down the hall; clearly having a bit of sugar in his system.

Mr Spengler shook his head and rolled his eyes the other way as he folded his coat. After a little while, Egon got himself into his pyjamas; saying goodnight to his parents and getting ready for bed. As he got himself ready for bed, Egon looked at the closet door. Part of him did not want to sleep in a room a closet out of fear of the boogieman coming out. But he knew that monster was not coming out of his closet. Hopefully not without the key he took when he and Kitty escaped.

With that, Egon decided to retire to bed. But as Egon climbed into bed; he heard a knock at his door. He looked towards the door as a familiar voice called.

"May I come in?" Mr Spengler called out from the other side.

"Yes." Egon replied as he sat on his bed.

Egon watched as his father opened the door and entered his room; looking a bit casual with his tie loosened and his sleeves rolled up. Mr adjusted his glasses as he looked at his son.

"I take it you're over your sugar rush?" He asked with uncertain tone like he was not sure how to say what he said.

"I'm pretty tired. I think a goodnight sleep would do me good." Egon said; knowing he needed it after last night.

Mr Spengler nodded lightly. But he did not want to leave just yet.

"Before you go to bed... Could we have a talk?" The father asked in an almost nervous tone.

Egon blinked out of confusion at the tone of the man’s voice; thinking he never sounded like that. But if he wanted to talk to his son at such a late hour, it must be important.

"What did you want to talk about?" Egon asked as he sat up.

Mr Spengler came over and sat next to Egon on the bed with his hands folded and his head down. The man took short and quiet breath before he began to speak.

"Your mother and I had a talk after the conference. She told me that I've been quite harsh towards you." He spoke as gently as he could manage. "She's been telling me this for quite a bit. But now I'm only realising that she's right."

Egon listened with interest as his father turned and looked at him; his eyes dark with what Egon assumed was exhaustion. But he continued anyway.

"I know I've been rather snappy towards you when your experiments go wrong. I didn't want to discourage you from doing them; I've been... I've been angry for only god knows how long. I want you to do your little backyard experiments. I want you be the curious boy you've always been. And I've realised that I've been quite neglectful and rude when you told me about that... Thing in your closet and when you boarded it up."

Egon tilted his head a bit as his father took a short break and rubbed the tiredness out of his eyes.

"I'm getting off track here." He whispered to himself before talking to Egon again. "What I really want to say is... I'm sorry."

Egon gave his father a rather surprised look. He never heard him apologise for anything to anyone before. Though he doubted this was really the first time. It made Egon think a little. He had that feeling that his father was going to try and make it up to him along with that apology. Mr Spengler adjusted his seating a bit and gently grabbed his sons hand.

"I know an apology won't be enough. I do anything to make it up to you." He offered; clearly being sincere by the tone of his voice. "We can go to a showing of the mummy this week, or I'll even take-"

"Dad, please calm down." Egon interrupted to get his father quiet.

Mr Spengler fell silent as Egon came up to him and wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug. Mr Spengler was unsure how to respond to this until Egon said something.

"I just want you to be with mom and me a bit more often. Like next week for my birthday." Egon requested quietly.

Mr Spengler acknowledged Egons plea. The father hesitated, but he hugged his son back to see affection; as difficult as it was for him nowadays.

"I'll definitely be there for it. I promise." Mr Spengler spoke gently as the hug lasted a bit longer.

Mr Spengler could not see it. But Egon was smiling lightly. After a few more seconds, he broke from his father and preceded to climbed into bed.

"You have a good night sleep, alright?" Mr Spengler said goodnight as he stood up.

"I'll try." Egon replied as he pulled the blankets over himself.

Mr Spengler kept his eyes on his son as he turned off the light and shut the door; leaving him in the dark with only the moon for a light source. Egon took a short exhale as he shut his eyes; ready for a well-deserved rest.

Meow

But a familiar sound made him open them back up. He looked towards the window as he heard something scratching against the glass. Egon sat up and turned on the lamp light; revealing a familiar face on the other side of the window.

Kitty was sitting on the window still as she tapped the glass with her paw like she wanted to come in. Egon got up out of bed and made his way to the window; quietly opening it so his parents would not hear.

"Hello there." He greeted the grey feline as her tail waved behind her. "I was wondering where you went after all that."

Egon knew he was not going to get a vocal response. Kitty just looked at him with her green eyes. But Egon knew she was here for a few reasons. Egon tugged at his sleeves as he thought of something to say.

"I really can't thank you enough. You really saved my life back there." He thanked her as he stroked her back with his hand.

Kitty returned the gesture with a gentle purr as if to say your welcome. Egon gently picked her up from the window and placed her on his bed. He then looked under the bed and pulled out the satchel he had with him in the boogieman’s world; keeping the three souls inside for safe keeping. But he took them out one by one and placed them on the bed; unsure of what he was supposed to do with them.

"So, what now?" He asked the silent cat.

Kitty just licked her paw in response; making Egon sigh in mild frustration. But a glow slowly appeared from the three objects. Egon took a step back as they began to float above the bed; but he gasped as they devolved into red, blue and pink glowing specks of light. He and Kitty watched in amazement as they took shape into three figures. Egon recognised them as they took form. The three children.

The three children floated in front of Egon in their respective colours; the twin boy's red and blue while the little girl was in pink. But he noticed something else. They longer looked dead and mummified. They looked young and healthy. They smiled happily as they opened their eyelids; showing their now returned eyes along with their souls.

"We can't thank you enough, sir." The red ghost child said as he came up to Egon and shook his hand.

"You've done a wonderful thing for us." The blue twin hugged Egon in gratitude.

"We can finally see our families again." The pink girl just floated there with a grateful smile on her face. "you have our thanks."

Egon felt a bit cold as the ghost children thanked and hugged him. But he was glad they were going to finally be at peace and pass on. A slight smile of pride made its way onto his lips.

"I'm glad I could help. We'll never see that monster ever again." Egon spoke with confidence.

Upon hearing that, the ghost children stopped smiling and looks of uncertainty fell upon their pale faces. The twins broke away from Egon and gave him fearful looks. Egon quickly noticed and stopped smiling.

"It's not over." The blue twin spoke nervously.

Egon stared with wide eyes in horrified question.

"What do you mean?" He asked in a worried tone.

"The boogieman can still get to you, sir!" The red twin warned with a terrified tone of voice.

Egon took a step back as he began to shiver with fear.

"B-but he can't! I locked the closet!" Egon pointed at the locked door as proof.

"You locked your closet." The little girl ghost replied before pointed to Egon nightstand.

Egon looked towards his nightstand to see the key he left sitting there; going up and grabbing it in his hand as the three began to explain.

"He can still get to you from another closet. But he can only take a child from the room that they live in or a room that they are temporarily sleeping in as long as you and your fear are there." The little girl ghost explained.

"But he needs keys to keep certain children in when he kidnaps them through their doors.”

"The boogieman has keys to all different closets and that is the key for yours." The blue ghost continued. "If he has that key he can unlock your closet door again and take you away."

Egon began to breathe heavily as he realised that he really was still in danger. Kitty watched with worry in her eyes as his hands started shaking. He looked up at the three ghost children for help.

"There has to be something I can do to stop him for good! Anything; please tell me!" Egon sounded like was about to beg.

Kitty watched as the three ghost children looked at each other and nodded in agreement before looking back to Egon.

"You need to rid yourself of the key." The blue ghost spoke with urgency.

"But don't just hide it. Destroy it. Break it beyond repair." The red ghost instructed.

Egon looked down at the key with uncertainty; wondering how he was going to destroy it. Before he could think any further, the twin ghosts slowly began to fade away. Egon looked up and gasped in worry; but the twins had smiles on their faces.

"What's happening to you!?" He questioned thinking something was wrong.

"Don't worry about us, sir." The blue twin reassured.

"We've done all we needed to do here. We're finally going to be at peace." The red twin explained.

Egon watched and stared as the twins hugged each other while they began to fade. But as he watched the happy tears they cried out, he realised what was happening. They were going to some kind of afterlife.

The twins held each other as they disappeared into thin air; small particles of red and blue going upward before disappearing completely. Egon just stared at the now empty space for a few seconds before looking towards the pink ghost.

"Why aren't you going to heaven?" He asked; wondering if she needed to do something before going.

"I still have something I need to do. Someone I need to see." The little girl ghost spoke gently as she floated towards the window. "But you know what you must do."

Egon nodded as the ghost floated and phased through the wall leading outside; probably off to do what she needed to pass on. It was just Egon and Kitty now. Egon looked down at the key and thought of how he was going to destroy it. He grabbed it with his other hand and tried to bend it; grunting as he tried at least three attempts. But the best he could get was just a slight and unnoticeable bend. Maybe he could get something from the backyard. But his parents would hear him and question him.

"It's no use. I need to do something else." He said out loud for Kitty to hear. "I need something hard and heavy. Some like a-"

Egon stopped mid-sentence as he thought of something that could destroy the key or at least damage it enough to be unusable.

"A rock." He whispered. "A very large rock!"

Egon thought of one place where there could be a rock large enough for the task.

The park.

Egon quickly rushed around his room for his shoes and a long string on his cupboard. He tied the key to the string to make a necklace and put it around his neck so it would not fall off. Egon remembered that he still had that switchblade that Danny gave him and decided to take it with him along with a flashlight just in case. He realised the front door was not an option; so he decided the window was the next best thing.

Meow

Egon stopped as Kitty got in his way; sitting on his nightstand in a protective manner. Egon shook his head as he gently picked her up.

"Look I know you're trying to protect me; but need you to stay out of my way." He forcefully requested as he put the feline down on the bed.

Kitty watched anxiously as Egon got onto the nightstand and climbed out the window; jumping out and landing on a patch of dirt. Egon made sure no one was watching and ran across the road to the park in search a large rock to destroy the key.

Kitty softly meowed as she jumped out the window. She had a gut chilling feeling that something was going to go wrong if Egon was alone. With a burst of much needed energy, she ran out in a different direction with intentions of getting help from someone she could count on.

* * *

Mr and Mrs Polanski were sleeping soundly in their bed while Buster slept and snored in his dog bed without a care in the world. Everything was quiet. But unknown to the old couple and the large canine, something was stirring in the spare bedroom that once belonged to their grown up son. The closet doorknob began to jiggle and turn as a grim light appeared from the gap underneath. After a few seconds, the door slowly creaked open with the sound of heavy breathing accompanying it. But the breathing turned into growling as a set of sharp claw like nails appeared on the rim of the door; scratching and leaving a mark on the wood and paint.


	17. Revenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Egon deals with his enemy once and for all. At least he hopes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been busy looking for employment. that's why this chapter was delayed.

Egon grunted in frustration as he went through a bunch of different rocks through the park with the full moon and his flashlight as his only light sources. None of the ones he found were big or sturdy enough. He threw the rock he had in his hand away with a frustrated growl; throwing it against a tree with a thump.

"Come on; I know there’s one big enough around here. I need to think." He spoke to himself as he tried to think.

He began to walk with his head facing down as he tried to think of where he might have seen a large rock before.

*Thump*

Egon grunted as he unintentionally walked into a tree; bumping his head and bringing his hand up to rub the sore spot. Egon looked up with an angered look on his face. But it softened as he looked at the tree he bumped into. He shined his flashlight on the bark; stopping as he noticed an orange coloured substances growing off the base. He gasped as he recognised it.

Jelly fungus.

Egon began looking around as he remembered what Danny said to him when they first met a few days ago. About the old well past a few trees. Egon quickly recalled the location as he ran in the direction Danny pointed to; thinking he could find something there.

Egon stopped as he reached the hole covered by wooden boards. With a hurrying mind, Egon looked around for anything he could use to destroy the key. He looked around the edge of the trees for something hard and sturdy. After a minute of this, he noticed something lightly coloured was buried underneath a patch of dirt. Using his hand to brush it off, he quickly realised that he found a rock that looked to be about the strange of a human head. Egon quickly dug into his pocket and pulled out the switchblade; popping out the blade and digging into the dirt along the round ends of the rock. Quickly but gently, he moved the blade around it to loosen it from the semi wet soil. After doing that, he put his hands around it, grabbed on and pulled; getting it out of the ground after a few attempts. Egon took a breather as he observed the stone. It was definitely the size of a human head and it was quite heavy enough that Egon had to put it down for a moment.

Knowing what he had to do next, Egon took the key with the sting tied to it off his neck and held it in his hand; thinking of how relived he was going to be when it was bent or in pieces.

*Crunch*

Egon quickly turned his head when he heard the sound of brunches and sticks breaking; gasping lightly as he looked for any sign of life.

"Hello?" He called; thinking something might have been here with him.

Egon loosened up only slightly when he heard nothing apart from the hoot of an owl in the distance. He kept his guard up as he put his knife away and picked up the rock with all his strength; taking it to a slightly more open area next to the boarded up well. Egon took one last look at the monstrous key with a store of disgust before he slowly lifted the stone above his neck.

"See you in hell, you monster." Egon spoke with malice in his tone.

Egon grunted as he held up the rock; ready to throw it onto the key.

"Found you, little brat!"

Egons eyes went wide as he felt something grab him by his waist. He screamed and dropped the rock as he was pulled back forcefully; completely missing the key and hitting the ground with a thump. Egon barely had any time to process what was happening as he was lifted high above the ground and treated to a face he never wanted to see again.

The boogieman stared at Egon with a grimace of pure malice and rage; his monstrous eyes glowing bright yellow and fangs showing with his gums. As the boogieman held Egon by his collar, the boy noticed a few things despite his current situation and horror. The boogieman’s head was smaller for some reason. His skin was paler then it was in the closet world and he seemed thinner. He looked weaker; like he was starving to death. The boogieman breathed heavily as he looked at Egon straight in the eye; ignoring the boy's struggle. But he looked down and saw the key sitting on the ground. Growling like an enraged animal; he quickly bent down and grabbed the key with one hand with Egon in the other.

"You really thought you could lock me out, Egon!?" He spoke with a harsh voice; holding the key by the string for emphasis.

"I did lock you out! I won the game and beat you, you freak!" Egon screamed in the creatures face as tears of anger and frustration leaked out.

The boogieman snarled at the boy before he began to sniff him; growling as he failed to detect a scent. Egon caught himself giving the monster a hatful and resentful glare.

"I'm not scared of you. I know you're nothing without fear." Egon spoke with a brave tone; keeping on a brave face for good measure.

The boogieman gave the boy a blank look as Egon stared back.

"You really are not afraid." The child snatching creature spoke with unwilling realisation.

Egon just continued giving the boogieman a glare of hatred and disgust. But the boogieman returned the look with a sneer of angered disappointed as he reached down and picked up the rock Egon was going to break the key with; making Egon tease up with a look of fear and question of what he was going to do with it.

"Then I have no reason to keep you alive."

Egon gasped as the boogieman spoke with a tone with no remorse. But his anxiety went through the roof as the creature held the heavy stone over his head; realising he was about to be beaten to death. Egon began to beg and cry as the boogieman lifted up the stone; closing his eyes out of fear of the impact.

#THUNK#

But Egon heard the boogieman let out a pained scream and dropped to the ground; hearing the stone landing on the ground instead of his skull. Egon quickly sat up to see the boogieman lying on the ground; growling in pain as he held the back of his left leg.

"Leave my friend alone, you goat-legged freak!"

Egon quickly looked up as he heard a familiar voice insulting the monster. The young gasped as he saw someone he could not believe was really here.

Danny stood behind the boogieman in his pyjamas with a metal baseball bat in hand; holding it up as he prepared to give it another swing. Kitty was standing beside the boy as she let out a high pitched growl at the creature; prepared to jump at any moment. The boogieman turned around to look and growl at his attacker; standing up as he stared at the pair. Danny took a step back while Kitty stood her ground.

"What a pain! Such delicious looking snacks; yet their spoiled and ruined by their bravery!" The boogieman spoke as he took a step towards Danny.

Danny responded by taking another step back as the child snatching monster came towards him.

"Stay back! I'm warning you!" Danny shouted out as he readied his bat.

Egon quickly realised the boogieman had taken his focus off of him and placed it onto Danny and Kitty. He quickly noticed the boogieman still had the key; realising he needed to think quickly. He looked behind him towards the boarded up well and looked back towards the boogieman; getting an idea to form.

Danny kept walking back as the boogieman kept coming towards him. Kitty quickly reacted and jumped out at the monster with her claws out. But the boogieman growled as he swung his arm at her and pushed her away; smacking her against a tree.

"Kitty!" Danny shouted out in fear for his animal friend.

But he broke out in a fearful sweat as the boogieman cornered him into a tree with a devilish laugh.

"Little pest can't help you now, child!" The boogieman mocked as he reached out with his free hand.

Danny was about to swing his bat in defence against the monster. But the boogieman let out a pained yell and took his hand back; leaving the kid rather confused and terrified.

Egon had sneaked up on the boogieman and stabbed him in the back with Danny’s knife; taking the opportunity to snatch the key and take it back while the boogieman sat there wounded. Egon quickly took a few steps back as Danny got out of the way to check on Kitty. Egon took a few steps back as the boogieman recuperated and stood up with a stare of pure unbridled rage.

"I'll rip out your spine, you little insect!" The boogieman shouted as he sprayed out angry spit.

"You'll have to catch me first!" Egon tempted the beast before running towards the well.

Danny watched as Egon took off at automobile speed towards the well. But the boogieman jumped into the air like a deranged rabbit. Danny could see where the monster was going to land and it was in Egons way.

"Egon; look out!" He shouted out a warning for the boy.

Egon barely had time to react as the boogieman landed in front of him; making him stop and take a step back. The boogieman gave the boy a grim grin as he stood up high; reaching towards him with his claws.

"You're not getting away this-"

The boogieman stopped mid-sentence as he felt something breaking beneath him. His smile quickly disappeared as he looked down to see where he landed. On the old and weak wooden boards covering the well. Egon was tempted to smile as the boogieman realised what was happening. But as the boards gave way and the monster was about to fall down, he grabbed the string that was attached to the key; making Egon gasp in horror. The boogieman only fell just passed the top of the well, but he was hanging onto the edge with one hand while the other made Egon fall forward with a short scream as he held onto the key. Egon felt himself slowly sliding towards the well as the boogieman lost his grip on the edge; fearing he was going to fall in along with the monster.

But Danny quickly saw what was happening and quickly reacted. He ran towards his friend and jumped onto top of him; grabbing onto him and slowing down his slide onto the wells edge. But Egons arms and head were already over the edge; looking down towards the boogieman as he held onto the key.

"You foolish child!" The boogieman shouted towards the boy as he held onto the string for whatever his life was considered. "Did you really think you could get rid of me this easily!?"

Egon struggled to stay on the ground as Danny struggled to keep him from falling. But the Spengler child watched as the boogieman gave him a menacing grin.

"You may destroy the key and rib yourself of me! But I'll just move on to another!" The child snatching creature boasted with misplaced confidence. "Children are born every day! Every hour! Every minute! Even if I never got to taste your fear or if I never find more fear like it ever again, there will always be another! I'll just keep feeding and feeding on an endless feast of fear that I will never be wary of! I am everything children are afraid of! No child is safe from me! NO ONE!"

The boogieman let out an insane and demonic laugh as Egon slipped a few inches more; his midsection now hanging over the edge and Danny was struggling to help him. But Egon gave the boogieman a look of disgust and vengeance as he showed the knife he still had in his hand; making the boogieman stop laughing and dropped his grin with a face of horror.

"Then I'll just have to destroy you." Egon spoke indifferently as he pushed the blade against the string.

The boogieman was about to beg; but it was too late. Egon cut the key away from the string as the boogieman tried to reach out; sending the creature plummeting down the well with a scream that slowly disappeared as he fell. Even as the boogieman disappeared into the darkness below; his screams lingered for a few seconds before fading away into nothing. Egon took a breather and closed his eyes for a moment to relax. But he felt Danny grab him by the back of his nightshirt and pulled him out of the well; sitting him down on the ground before falling onto his back out of exhaustion. The boy's just sat there for a moment as they both processed what just happened in different ways. Egon was finally rid of the monster that had been haunting him for the last few days while Danny was trying to not to freak out about the fact that he and his cat almost got killed by a monster.

"Was that... Was that really the boogieman?" Danny questioned; unsure if he was hallucinating.

Egon just nodded before looking at him.

"I don't think he's really gone." The boy spoke with a pessimistic tone before looking back at the well. "But I don't think he'll be bothering me again."

Egon looked down at the key in his hand as he stood up.

"There's only one way to be sure." He said as he looked around for the rock he was planning to use.

Danny quickly got up and ran back toward Kitty; making sure she was alright before grabbing his baseball bat and running back to Egon.

"I got an idea!" Danny held up his bat; telling Egon to put the key down.

Egon gave the other boy a questionable look. But he put the key on the ground anyway and stood back. Aiming carefully, Danny slowly and steadily lifted his bat over his head and took a breather. With a focused stare, Danny swung his weapon of choice down upon the key; making a loud cracking sound in the process. Egon tried to look and see the damage, but Danny repeated the act over and over until he was out of breathe. Egon blinked as he saw the key broken and bended into a five pieces beyond repair; picking them up and reminding himself to dispose of them somehow later. He turned to Danny and held his hand out to him to shake in gratitude.

"Thank you. I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't shown up in time." Egon thanked the boy in a grateful tone.

Egon was expecting Danny to reach out and shake his hand in return. But to his surprise and shock, Danny dropped his bat, wrapped his arms around Egon and hugged him; making him tense up for a few seconds. Kitty came up to them with a limp in her walk and sat down; trying to keep the pain off her now sore leg.

"Don't worry about it. Just glad I could help." Danny spoke as he let go of his friend; bending down and giving Kitty a pat.

Egon watched as the other boy showed affection towards the feline. Egon was not sure how Danny knew Egon would be here. But he had a feeling Kitty might have had something to do with it. Egon was about to say something to the boy he now considered his friend.

"Daniel?!"

But a voice from behind made him quickly turn around out of fear. Egon and Danny saw an elderly man coming towards them; using a came for support. Egon was not too worried, but Danny had a nervous grimace on his face as he quickly saw the olds man’s features.

He looked frail and was hunched over as he walked with his came. His skin was wrinkled as to be expected and the top of his head was bold apart from some long white hair coming out of the lower section of hairline. He was wearing dark grey pyjamas with black slippers. But the boy's and kitty's attention was on the angry scowl on his tired and aged face. Danny knew he was the one getting the look.

"I've told you too many times; don't run off like that, Daniel!" The old man spoke with a think polish accent. "Your mother is would be furious if she knew you were disobeying your grandfather.

Egon blinked as he realised this was the same man calling out to Danny at the park. This was his grandfather. Danny looked down at his feet as he tried to think of a way to explain what he doing out late at night.

"I wasn't doing anything wrong, grandpa." He started with defending himself. "My friend needed my help and-"

"Your friend?! This boy!?" Danny’s grandfather interrupted and questioned him as he pointed his crane at both boy's. "You're both sneaking at night!? If you two have done anything, you'll both be... be..."

Danny’s grandfather stopped as he noticed a soft light shining on the ground in front of him; coming from behind him. Danny froze as he saw something unbelievable while Egon blinked calmly. Danny’s grandfather slowly turned around to see where the light was coming from; gasping and dropping his cane as he saw what it was.

The little ghost girl was standing a feet away from the old man and the two boys; her pigtails floating like there was no gravity around her. Danny’s grandfather father slowly approached the ghost child while Danny tried to stop him. But Egon put his arm out and told him to wait. Danny’s grandfather carefully got down on his knees as the ghost girl approached. The old man struggled to get any words out before he finally spoke.

"Olivia?" He finally said with a name.

The ghost child gave the old man a warm smile before speaking back.

"Hello, Hubert." She spoke with a tone that had hints of joy and sadness within it.

Egon and Danny watched as Danny’s grandfather slowly broke down into tears; reaching out to the ghost named Olivia with shaking hands.

"But how... he took you away." He spoke like he was recalling a grim memory.

Olivia stopped and gave the old man a nod.

"He killed me, brother."

Egon and Danny gasped lightly and stared as they realised different things. Egon recalled the ghost saying she had a brother. Danny’s grandfather was her brother. The ghost girl was Danny’s deceased great aunt. Hubert covered his face with his hands as he began to sob and cry.

"I'm sorry, Olivia. I'm sorry." He apologised as he cried out to his dead sister. "I should've protected you. I let you down and that bastard took you away. I should've done something."

Olivia watched for a moment as her brother cried out for forgiveness. But she responded by wrapping her little arms around him and hugging him gently; getting him to stop sobbing.

"It's okay, Hubert. I'm free now." She reassured her weeping brother. "The boy with the glasses set me and the others free."

Hubert had no idea what Olivia was talking about before he turned around and looked at the boy's. Egon just slowly held up his hand and waved politely; unsure if he should respond properly while Danny still stood there and watched. Hubert turned back and kept hugging his deceased sister.

"I don't want you to go, Olivia." He spoke with a tearful sob. "I've missed you every day for the past sixty five years."

Olivia gently broke away from her brother as she gave a warm and reassuring smile.

"I know. But I'm afraid I must. Mama and papa are waiting for me." She spoke as she wiped away her brothers’ tears. "Don't be sad, Hubert. We'll see each other again someday."

The boy's watched as Hubert sighed and nodded before he hesitated to let his sister go. But he got there eventually; holding back anymore tears as she began to fade away like the twin ghosts did. But she gave him a reassuring smile as she said her goodbyes; disappearing into thin air; small glowing pink particles floating upward as she finally made her way to a possible afterlife. When the particles disappeared, Hubert just sat there and stared at the clear sky; completely blank in expression after his moment of sadness. Egon watched as Danny grabbed his baseball bat; putting it under his arm as he made his way over and helped his grandfather up to his feet.

"You okay, grandpa?" He asked gently; concerned for his grandfather’s wellbeing.

Hubert gave Danny a reassuring nod before he turned towards Egon. Egon held his breath out of worry of what the old man might say. But the elderly grandfather pointed at him in question.

"Olivia said a boy with glasses freed her. Was she talking about you by any chance?" He questioned in a desperate yet sincere tone.

Egon was not rather sure how to get any words out at that moment. All he could do was nod. With that, Hubert made his way over to the boy; struggling to do so without his cane. Egon saved him the trouble and ran over to him instead; grabbing his cane as he did so. Looking down at the ground, Hubert put his hand to his chest in gratitude and sorrow.

"Thank you. I don't know how you saved my little sister from that hideous beast; but thank you." The old man thanked Egon for freeing his long dead sibling.

Egon knew the elderly man probably wanted answers. But he looked up at the full moon in the sky; knowing it was getting very late. But he had an idea. He looked down at Hubert with a look of reassurance.

"If you come to my house next Saturday afternoon, I can tell you everything." Egon offered to give the man closure as he handed back his cane.

Hubert blinked upon hearing Egons offer. He looked at his grandson for approval.

"Yeah, I know where Egon lives, Grandpa; it’s just a five minute walk. I can take you there on Saturday." Danny reassured his elderly grandfather.

Egon watched as Hubert looked at him with a small smile with a slight nod as he took his cane back.

"I'd appreciate that, young man. Thank you."

Egon did not notice. But he was smiling slightly as he realised that he did a good thing for someone. He watched as Danny took his grandfather home; staying it was getting late. Danny looked at Egon one more time with a friendly grin as he waved goodbye. Egon waved back in response. A light meow caught his attention and made him look down. Kitty looked up at him as her tail slowly moved behind her; tilting her head at him before walking away and following Danny. Egon watched with discomfort as he saw the limp in the felines walk; hoping she was not hurt too badly. With a light sigh, Egon turned around and made his way home; thinking of how much he was going to enjoy resting and sleeping tonight after all he had been through.


End file.
